Faster GC analyses performed by flow programming in short capillary columns

The technique of programming the carrier gas flow rate in gas chromatography, especially in connection with the use of capillary columns shorter than 10 m can significantly accelerate GC analyses. Equations for calculation of the parameters of the exponential flow function and retention data are described. The effects of flow programming in a short capillary column are shown in a few chromatograms. Different programming rates are tested and compared with temperature programming.     

Study of Injection Angle and Carrier Gas Flow Rate Effects on Particles In-Flight Characteristics in Plasma Spray Process: Modeling and Experiments

This paper investigates the influence of particle injection angle on particle in-flight behaviors and characteristics at different primary and carrier gas flow rates through an integrated modeling and experimental approach. Particle in-flight status such as temperature, velocity, size and their distribution are analyzed to examine particle’s melting status before impact. Results from the experiments and numerical simulations both show that, when carrier gas flow rate is fixed, a small injection angle favors the particle melting and flattening. This behavior is independent of primary and secondary gas flow rates, spray distance and carrier gas flow rate. When both carrier gas flow and injection angle vary, a high carrier gas flow rate and a small injection angle are recommended for high particle temperature and velocity.     

Computer-assisted optimization of temperature programming and flow rate in capillary gas chromatography

A computer-assisted method is presented for simultaneous optimization of three-factor of temperature programming (initial temperature, temperature rising rate and carrier gas flow rate) for the separation of eleven compounds in capillary gas chromatography. The optimization of the separation over the experimental region is based on a special polynomial from fifteen preliminary experiments using the resolution as the selection criterion. Computer scanning technique was used for optimum selection on three dimensions. Excellent agreement was found between the predicted data and the experimental results.     

Dual Adsorber-Capillary Column System for Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Air Samples

Abstract

An interface which allows thermal desorption and subsequent capillary gas chromatographic analysis of air samples is described. A small solid-sorbent trap is positioned between the sampling tube and capillary column. A sample thermally released from the sampling tube is transferred by a carrier gas at high flow rate to the trap and retained. From there it is again thermally released and transferred to the capillary column by carrier gas at a low flow rate, as required by capillary GC. The transfer and injection steps are effected by means of externally placed solenoid valves. The performance of the system depends on the desorption temperature and time allowed for transfer of the sample between the two adsorbers and the column. These parameters are programmable and can be changed to suit the requirements of a particular analysis. The system allows the analysis of sub-parts-per-billion concentrations of organic compounds in a comparatively simple and reproducible manner. Operation of the system does not require cryogenic cooling of either the trap or the GC oven. Chromatograms of a variety of air samples are presented and discussed.     

Effects of GC temperature and carrier gas flow rate on on‐line oxygen isotope measurement as studied by on‐column CO injection

Although deemed important to δ¹⁸O measurement by on‐line high‐temperature conversion techniques, how the GC conditions affect δ¹⁸O measurement is rarely examined adequately. We therefore directly injected different volumes of CO or CO–N₂ mix onto the GC column by a six‐port valve and examined the CO yield, CO peak shape, CO–N₂ separation, and δ¹⁸O value under different GC temperatures and carrier gas flow rates. The results show the CO peak area decreases when the carrier gas flow rate increases. The GC temperature has no effect on peak area. The peak width increases with the increase of CO injection volume but decreases with the increase of GC temperature and carrier gas flow rate. The peak intensity increases with the increase of GC temperature and CO injection volume but decreases with the increase of carrier gas flow rate. The peak separation time between N₂ and CO decreases with an increase of GC temperature and carrier gas flow rate. δ¹⁸O value decreases with the increase of CO injection volume (when half m/z 28 intensity is <3 V) and GC temperature but is insensitive to carrier gas flow rate. On average, the δ¹⁸O value of the injected CO is about 1‰ higher than that of identical reference CO. The δ¹⁸O distribution pattern of the injected CO is probably a combined result of ion source nonlinearity and preferential loss of C¹⁶O or oxygen isotopic exchange between zeolite and CO. For practical application, a lower carrier gas flow rate is therefore recommended as it has the combined advantages of higher CO yield, better N₂–CO separation, lower He consumption, and insignificant effect on δ¹⁸O value, while a higher‐than‐60 °C GC temperature and a larger‐than‐100 µl CO volume is also recommended. When no N₂ peak is expected, a higher GC temperature is recommended, and vice versa. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reaction parameters influence on the catalytic performance of copper-silica aerogel in the methanol steam reforming

Steam reforming of methanol was carried out on the copper-silica aerogel catalyst.The effects of reaction temperature,feed rate,water to methanol molar ratio and carrier gas flowrate on the H_2 production rate and CO selectivity were investigated.M ethanol conversion was increased considerably in the range of about 240-300,after which it increased at a slightly lower rate.The used feed flowrate,steam to methanol molar ratio and carrier gas flowwere 1.2-9.0 m L/h,1.2-5.0 and 20-80 m L/min,respectively.Reducing the feed flowrate increased the H_2 production rate.It was found that an increase in the water to methanol ratio and decreasing the carrier gas flowrate slightly increases the H2production rate.Increasing the water to methanol ratio causes the lowest temperature in which CO formation was observed to rise,so that for the ratio of 5.0 no CO formation was detected in temperatures lower than 375℃.In all conditions,by approaching the complete conversion,increasing the main product concentration,increasing the temperature and contact time,and decreasing the steam to methanol ratio,the CO selectivity was increased.These results suggested that CO was formed as a secondary product through reverse water-gas shift reaction and did not participate in the methanol steam reforming reaction mechanism.     

Fast Heroin and Cocaine Analysis by GC–MS with Cold EI: The Important Role of Flow Programming

A fast GC–MS method was developed based on the use of GC–MS with Cold EI. This new method was applied for the analysis of the street drugs heroin and cocaine and it enabled 2 min chromatography time and 3 min full analysis cycle time. GC–MS with cold EI provides mass spectra with enhanced molecular ions that are library compatible (with increased identification probabilities) and allows the use of short, 5 m 0.25 mm ID columns, which facilitates fast GC–MS. A central ingredient of our unique cold EI-based fast GC–MS analysis method is the use of column flow programming from 1 up to 32 ml min^?1 column flow rate. Column flow programming can reduce the analysis time by about a factor of two and unlike temperature programs of GC ovens the carrier gas flow rate can be raised and lowered very quickly (in a few seconds). The fast GC–MS with Cold EI method is demonstrated by the analysis of heroin in its street drug powder and cocaine on paper money and it can be applied for other drugs of abuse as a general fast drugs analysis method.     

Stability of the FID sensitivity during an analysis in capillary GC

The sensitivity of an FID may change when the carrier gas flow rate changes during a chromatographic run. Sample parts which are eluted at reduced FID sensitivity produce a reduced peak area, hence are discriminated as compared to other components. Sensitivity changes were studied for hydrogen as carrier gas. For the detector tested, differences in the carrier gas flow rates of 1 ml/min shifted the FID sensitivity by 1 to 5% (depending on the fuel gas supply). Thus the stability of the sensitivity is no longer ensured as soon as the carrier gas flow rate is changed manually or by an automatic programmer during an analysis. Sensitivity drifts may also occur during temperature programmed runs with a pressure regulated carrier gas supply since the gas flow through the capillary drops with increasing temperature. Such shifts in the response became noticeable as soon as relatively high carrier gas flow rates combined with long range temperature programmes were used. The typical patterns of such discriminations are shown, closing with a discussion on the possibilities for minimizing such undesired effects.     

Practical fast gas chromatography for contract laboratory program pesticide analyses

An approach to shortening the analysis time for practical fast gas chromatography (GC) by using Method Translator software, which can be downloaded free from the Internet, is presented. This software simplifies the process of optimizing temperature programming while changing column dimensions, carrier gas type, and flow. Basic chromatographic theory is employed in a practical manner for adjusting column dimensions for optimal performance. In addition, electronic pneumatic control and high oven ramp rates make it easier to achieve fast analysis times without reproducibility problems. This practical approach is demonstrated using Contract Laboratory Program pesticide analytes. The factors found to be most important in decreasing the analysis time without a loss of performance are utilization of GC columns having smaller diameters and substitution of hydrogen for helium as the carrier gas.     

熔盐热裂解大豆油的特性研究

以大豆油为原料,在ZnCl₂-KCl熔融盐体系中考察了进料速量、载气流量、反应温度及进料量对其热裂解的影响。采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)表征生物油组成。结果表明,进料速量和载气流量主要通过改变大豆油的反应停留时间影响裂解效果。当进料速率为1.2 g/min及不通载气时,大豆油停留时间较长,裂解较充分;随着温度升高,生物油得率增大,含氧化合物含量及酸值上升;随着进料量增大,生物油得率稳定在70%左右,但脱羧效果有所下降。经过催化加氢,生物油性质得到了明显的改善,组分分布与0^#柴油分布大体相似。     

Behaviour of tetraalkylammonium ions in high‐field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry

High‐field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is an ion‐filtering technique recently adapted for use with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to remove interferences during analysis of complex matrices. This is the first systematic study of a series of singly charged tetraalkylammonium ions by FAIMS‐MS. The compensation voltage (CV) is the DC offset of the waveform which permits the ion to emerge from FAIMS and it was determined for each member of the series under various conditions. The electrospray ionization conditions explored included spray voltage, vaporizer temperature, and sheath and auxiliary gas pressure. The FAIMS conditions explored included carrier gas flow rate, electrode temperature and composition of the carrier gas. Optimum desolvation was achieved using sufficient carrier gas (flow rate ≥2 L/min) to ensure stable response. Low‐mass ions (m/z 100–200) are more susceptible to changes in electrode temperature and gas composition than high mass ions (m/z 200–700). As a result of this study, ions are reliably analyzed using standard FAIMS conditions (dispersion voltage ?5000 V, carrier gas flow rate 3 L/min, 50% helium/50%nitrogen, inner electrode temperature 70°C and outer electrode temperature 90°C). Variation of FAIMS conditions may be of great use for the separation of very low mass tetraalkylammonium (TAA) ions from other TAA ions. The FAIMS conditions do not appear to have a major effect on higher mass ions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Possibilities and Limitations of Fast Temperature Programming as a Route towards Fast GC

One possible way to speed up a gas chromatographic analysis is the application of fast temperature programming by using resistive heating techniques. With this heating technique programming rates up to 20° per second can be reached. A relative standard deviation of retention times better than 0.2% is obtained. Using fast temperature programming the analysis-times of a mineral oil sample, an industrial oligomer sample, and toxic compounds in diesel fuel have been reduced 5 to 20 times, compared to a standard temperature programmed analysis. In most cases resistive heating cannot be applied to reduce the analysis time of a complex sample. The use of fast temperature programming is preferable to the use of short columns and columns operated at above-optimum carrier gas velocities.     

Preparation of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide for NO2 detection at room temperature

In this work, the two-dimensional MoS₂ film was prepared by sulfuring the molybdenum atomic layer on SiO₂/Si substrate. The reaction temperature, heating rate, holding time and carrier gas flow rate were investigated comprehensively. The quality of MoS₂ film was characterized by optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The characterization results showed that the optimum synthesis parameters were heating rate of 25 °C/min, reaction temperature of 750 °C, holding time of 30 min and carrier gas velocity of 100 sccm. The MoS₂ gas sensor was fabricated and its gas sensing performance was tested. The test results indicated that the sensor had a good response to both reducing gas (NH₃) and oxidizing gas (NO₂) at room temperature. The sensitivity to 100 ppm of NO₂ was 31.3%, and the response/recovery times were 4 s and 5 s, respectively. In addition, the limit of detection could be as low as 1 ppm. This work helps us to develop low power and integrable room temperature NO₂ sensors.     

New methods for determining the volumetric flow rate in the column and the retention time of the unretained substance in gas chromatography

New methods for calculating the mean volumetric flow rate of the carrier gas and the retention time of the unretained substance in the column under conditions of gas chromatography were proposed. The methods are based on preliminary isothermal calibrations of the flow rate and holdup time for a packed column. A theoretical substantiation of the methods was given. Procedures of plotting calibration dependences for determining the indicated quantities at a desired temperature were described. The calculation results were compared to experimental data obtained by traditional methods. It was demonstrated that the use of calculation methods substantially simplifies the determination of the specific retention volume over a wide temperature range.     

甲基氯硅烷低沸物的分离分析

选用DB-624毛细管色谱柱,用气相色谱法对直接法合成的26种甲基氯硅烷低沸物(LBR)组分(其中包括难分离的物质对甲基二氯硅烷和2-甲基-2-丁烯)进行分离.考察了柱温和载气流速对分离效果的影响,发现柱温和载气流速均较低时,分离效果较好.采用气相色谱质谱联用和气相色谱保留时间对照2种方法对组分进行了定性分析,根据色谱保留时间和质谱图的信息,确定了LBR组分结构,并对其进行了定量分析.结果表明,四甲基硅烷、二甲基氯硅烷和甲基二氯硅烷是LBR的主要活性成分,而2-甲基-1-丙烯、2-甲基丁烷和2-甲基-2-丁烯是LBR的主要杂质.方法操作简便、快速、效率高,适用于甲基氯硅烷生产控制中的快速分析和其工业分离的方法研究.     

Automated optimization of split ratio in capillary gas chromatography

An electronic gas-flow controller system called Advanced Flow Control (AFC), which controls not only carrier gas pressure at the column inlet but also the total gas flow including the split flow, was designed and evaluated. BASIC programming of repetitive analyses of standard mixtures under varied split ratios and pressure programs allowed automated optimization of those conditions for the desired column loading and resolution between adjacent peaks.     

Gas chromatographic retention indices of fentanyl and analogues

Narcotic analgesics of the fentanyl class are characterized by high potency and relatively short duration of action. These compounds nowadays have become a substitute for heroine and are highly addictive for abusers. Herein, we report retention indices of fentanyl and its eighteen analogues relative to the homologous n-alkane series. These values are determined on a moderately polar BP-5 capillary column under programmed temperature and isothermal chromatographic conditions. The analogues differ in the substituent attached to the piperidine ring nitrogen, and retention indices are found to vary according to the nature of the substituent. The effects of chromatographic conditions like temperature programming rate, carrier gas flow rate, and oven temperature are studied. Retention indices are also determined on a non-polar BP-1 column to study the influence of stationary phase polarity. Standard deviation of all the RI values is less than one index unit.     

The effect of temperature,catalyst, different carrier gases and stirrer on the produced transportation hydrocarbons of LLDPE degradation in a stirred reactor

The pyrolysis of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) by used fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst was studied in a stirred reactor to reach the appropriate transportation hydrocarbons. In this work, the effect of process parameters such as degradation temperature, catalyst/polymer ratio (%), carrier gas type and stirring rate on the condensed yield, product composition and residence time were considered. Product evaluation was performed by GC analyzer and paraffin, naphthene, olefin and aromatic plus carbon number and average molecular weight of the products were measured under different process parameters.Temperature and catalyst as the basic parameters show remarkable effect on the LLDPE cracking. The maximum transportation condensate yield reaches at 450 °C and 20% catalyst respectively although increase of temperature and catalyst content, decrease the residence time patently. Based on the results, molecular weight and reactivity of the carrier gas as mass transfer factor also play a key role in the process. A decrease in molecular weight of the carrier gas led to increase the condensate yield and decrease the residence time. Meanwhile increasing of the carrier gas reactivity could increase the condensate hydrocarbons. Hydrogen as reactive and lower molecular weight carrier gas increases the condensed yield patently. The study showed that stirring rate as a function of heat transfer and temperature homogenizer also affects on the condensate hydrocarbons positively. The maximum condensate yield was found to occur at 50 rpm although the residence time decreases with stirring rate increasing.     

紫外离子迁移谱在线监测芳香族化合物

利用自制紫外离子迁移谱仪,在迁移电场为311V/cm、离子门开门时间0.2ms和室温的条件下,测定了空气中的苯、甲苯、二甲苯以及萘、芴、蒽、1,2,3-三氯苯、5-氯苯酚等芳香族化合物,得到苯的校正迁移率为1.86cm2V-1s-1,且校正迁移率随着分子量的增大而减小。仪器对苯的检出限达到1mg/m3;线性范围达到4个数量级;响应时间小于10s。研究发现,电场强度增大有利于提高仪器的灵敏度,测定时载气流速100mL/min,迁移气流速300mL/min时,效果最佳。     

Trace quantification of 1‐triacontanol in beagle plasma by GC‐MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

1‐Triacontanol (TA), a member of long chain fatty alcohol, has recently been received great attention owing to its antitumor activity. In this study, an accurate, sensitive and selective gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the quantification of TA in beagle plasma using 1‐octacosanal as the internal standard (IS) for the first time. With temperature programming, chromatographic separation was carried out on an HP‐5MS column, using helium as carrier gas and argon as collision gas, both at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. TA was analyzed using positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple‐reaction monitoring mode, with the precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 495.6 → 97.0 and m/z 467.5 → 97.0 for TA and the IS, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation, linearity, intra‐ and interday precision, accuracy, stability, extraction recovery and matrix effect of TA were within the acceptable limits. The validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of TA in beagles. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.