On-line combination of liquid chromatography and capillary gas chromatography. Preconcentration and analysis of organic compounds in aqueous samples

This paper describes the design of a new, versatile, and low-cost on-line LC-GC interface that allows the fast and reliable introduction of large sample volumes onto a capillary GC column. The sample introduction procedure consists successively of: evaporation of the entire sample (LC fraction), selective removal of the solvent and simultaneously cold-trapping of the solutes, splitless transfer of the solutes to the GC column, on-column focusing, GC separation and detection. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of various experimental parameters are evaluated and optimum conditions are reported. The applicability of the method is demonstrated on a synthetic aqueous sample of chlorinated pesticides.     

Liquid chromatographic trace enrichment with on-line capillary gas chromatography for the determination of organic pollutants in aqueous samples

Trace enrichment for the GC analysis of a series of chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aqueous samples has been achieved through a simple on-line technique involving sorption on an LC micro-precolumn followed by direct elution into a gas chromatograph with hexane. A 5-m retention gap coupled to the capillary GC column served as the recipient of a relatively large sample volume (ca. 100 μl) introduced into the GC. Partially concurrent solvent evaporation during sample introduction allowed a large sample capacity. Recoveries of more than 95% were observed for the majority of the compounds studied. Using 1.0 ml aqueous samples, detection limits of less than 1 ppt were found. The applicability of the developed method was demonstrated for a river water sample.     

Sampling and gas chromatographic analysis of volatile organic compounds in hot and extremely humid emissions

Adsorptive enrichment on hydrophobic adsorbents, thermal desorption, and capillary gas-chromatographic analysis have been used to determine volatile organic compounds in extremely humid stack-gas emissions from the residential burning of brown-coal briquets. One hundred and fifty two compounds were identified and quantified. Quantitative emission factors were determined for the identified individual compounds in relation to the amount of the fuel used. These factors enable a first assessment of the pollution of the city of Leipzig with volatile organic compounds resulting from the burning of indigenous lignite.     

Fused silica capillary column GC/MS for the analysis of priority pollutants

Operational characteristics have been determined for fused silica capillary column (FSCC) GC/MS as applied to “extractable” priority polutants. Chromatographic data show excellent relative retention time (RRT) intralaboratory precision and interlaboratory accuracy when multiple internal standards are empolyed. Potential chromatographic problems, such as column overload and “double peaking”, are addressed. Response factor relative standard deviations (RSD) at 50 ng for most of the extractable priority pollutants over the long term indicated precise determination (i.e. RSD generally ≤ 10%). Linearity was demonstrated over two orders of magnitude for FSCC GC/MS analysis of compounds with relatively low and high RF (response factor) values. Potential quantitative problems, such as saturation, are discussed. For certain aromatic priority pollutants interlaboratory RF agreement was observed. This was noted as perhaps the most important property of FSCC GC/MS analysis when the multiple internal standard approach is utilized. Determinations of extractable priority pollutants are directly compared for paced column GC/MS and FSCC GC/MS analysis of separate and composited extracts. For six extracts analyzed in triplicate, the latter configuration was shown to produce more consistent results. In view of the superior analysis logistics of composite extract FSCC GC/MS analysis, this approach was established as the preferred method for the analysis of priority pollutants classified as extractable.     

十二烷基苯磺酸铜毛细管柱的制备及其在酚类化合物分析中的应用

酚类化合物是环境科学必须检测的一类有机污染物,因为此类化合物具有致癌、致畸、致突变性的潜在毒性,是炼油、炼焦、造纸、化工等工业废水中的主要物质,美、日等国都将其列入优先监测物质的黑名单,严格控制排放,指定了官方标准分析方法,例如,EPA604方法。因为酚类物质具有很强的极性,在环境温度下具有较低的蒸气压。     

Length of the flooded zone in the column inlet and evaluation of different retention gaps for capillary gas chromatography

In on-column or in splitless injection with recondensation of the solvent, the length of the flooded zone in the column inlet depends primarily on the wettability of the internal wall of the inlet. For columns with a coated inlet this explains why peak distortion due to band broadening in space by a certain sample volume is pronounced in one case and hardly observable in another. Glass or fused silica capillaries silylated with diphenyltetramethyldisilazane were found to give optimal retention gaps. They combine thorough and thermostable deactivation with good wettability and low retention power. On the other hand it is very easy to deactivate fused silica capillaries with Carbowax. The resulting retention gaps are suitable for a wide range of applications and are particularly attractive for the analysis of dirty samples which require frequent replacement of the inlet.     

毛细管色谱过程动力学研究——径向扩散对流出曲线的影响

考虑到毛细管色谱分析过程中径向浓度梯度对传质过程的影响,建立了相应的色谱质量平衡模型,模仿Ｇｉｄｄｉｎｇｓ的假设,将模型适当化简,并通过数学变换的方法得到了流出曲线的一级矩及二、三级中心矩表达式。结果表明,溶质的径向扩散不仅对柱效、峰展宽、峰形特征等有影响,而且对溶质的保留时间也有一定的影响。     

The use of precolumns for solvent focusing in capillary column gas chromatography

In trace analysis by capillary GC it is often desirable to use larger than normal injection volumes to obtain sufficient sensitivity. This, however, results in a wider solvent peak and tailing, and may reduce column efficiency. This paper describes the use of a short length of a capillary precolumn coated with a stationary phase of polarity similar to that of the sample solvent and a film thickness greater than that of the analytical column; provided the right combination of polarities of injection solvent and liquid phases are used, the precolumn focuses the solvent band, thereby enabling the maximum injection volume to be increased without measurably reducing efficiency. Typical precolumn dimensions are 1 m length, 0.32 mm i.d., and 0.5 μm stationary phase film thickness. Using a precolumn increases the maximum injection volume up to 8 or 10 μl, or three times that appropriate for a conventional analytical column, with little or no loss in efficiency.     

Limits in arson debris analysis by capillary column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Sample enrichment technology and instrumental sensitivity are no longer limiting factors in arson debris analysis. When pyrolyzed, petroleum based composite materials may produce artifacts. Urban air is another major source of interference since some of the components typically found in air, in particular alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, are customarily used as indicators for the presence of gasoline. It is suggested to replace qualitative analysis with a quantitative approach, taking the sample matrix into consideration.     

In-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled by in valve mode to capillary LC-DAD: Improving detectability to multiresidue organic pollutants analysis in several whole waters

A simple and fast capillary chromatographic method has been developed to identify and quantify organic pollutants at sub-ppb levels in real water samples. The major groups of pesticides (organic halogens, organic phosphorous, and organic nitrogen compounds), some hydrocarbons (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), phthalates and some phenols such as phenol and bisphenol A (endocrine disruptors) were included in this study. The procedure was based on coupling, in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) by using a conventional GC capillary column (95% methyl–5% phenyl substituted backbone, 80 cm × 0.32 mm i.d., 3 μm film thickness) in the injection valve to capillary liquid chromatography with diode array detection. A comparative study between the IT-SPME manifold and a column-switching device using a C₁₈ column (35 mm × 0.5 mm i.d., 5 μm particle size) has been performed. The IT-SPME procedure was optimal, it allows reaching limits of detection (LODs) between 0.008 and 0.2 μg/L. No matrix effect was found and recoveries between 70 and 116% were obtained. The precision of the method was good, and the achieved intra- and inter-day variation coefficients were between 2 and 30%. This procedure has been applied to the screening analysis of 28 compounds in whole waters from several points of the Mediterranean coast (Valencia Community, Spain).     

Computer comparisons of variables in capillary gas chromatography

A series of computer-constructed van Deemter curves that permits evaluation of a number of variables in capillary gas chromatography is presented. The graphs permit the comparison of inter-related parameters, including the choice of carrier gas (hydrogen vs helium vs nitrogen), column length (10-100 m), column diameter (0.20, 0.25, 0.32, 0.4 mm), solute partition ratios (0-10), and liquid phase film thickness (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 μm). The curves are evaluated, both in terms of the relative magnitude of the optimum average linear carrier gas velocity, and in terms of the significance of the sharpness of the curve.     

Autocrosslinkable methyl-2-phenylethylpolysiloxane stationary phase for capillary column gas chromatography

Methyl-2-phenylethylpolysiloxane polymers have been synthesized for comparison with methylphenylpolysiloxane stationary phases for gas chromatography. The 50% 2-phenylethyl polysiloxane was found to be autocrosslinkable at 260°C without addition of free redical initiator. Although the selectivity of this phase appears to be similar to the 50% phenyl polysiloxane, its thermal stability is not as high.     

A novel technique for the sampling and gas chromatographic analysis of vapours

Summary A conventional pyrolysis gas chromatography system has been adapted to the analysis of vapours. A Curie point pyrolysis wire is used as a holder for granular active carbon on which the sample can be adsorbed. Desorption is achieved in the pyrolysis unit, but no pyrolysis occurs. The present study reports on the completeness of adsorption by the sampler and on the degree of release of adsorbate from it.     

On-line coupling of solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography with atomic emission detection for analysis of trace pollutants in aqueous samples

Summary An on-line, solid-phase extraction gas chromatography atomic-emission detection (SPE-GC-AED) system has been set up using an on-column interface to transfer 100 l of desorbing solvent to the GC part of the system. Analytical characteristics such as recovery, precision and linearity of calibration plots were comparable with those of the off-line combination of SPE-GC-AED using organophosphorus pesticides as test compounds. The fully on-line set-up causes a marked improvement in detection because of the quantitative transfer of the analytes from the SPE module to the GC: detection limits are as low as 5–20 ng l^–1 for the analysis of 10 ml raw and spiked surface water samples using the phosphorus channel. Detection levels can be further enhanced by processing up to 100 ml samples. The integrated analytical system is robust. The potential of the on-line set up has been demonstrated for the analysis of surface water and waste water.