Measurements using gas chromatography with coelution and dual-isotope atomic emission detection.

Dual-isotope measurements by gas chromatography (GC)-atomic emission detection (AED) may enhance results for quantitative analyses. Adding a known amount of an isotopically labelled form of target analytes in each sample can compensate for irreproducibilities or uncertainties associated with sample pretreatments and sample loading. Similarly, fluctuations in AED temperatures, flows and interferants can be compensated via the added labelled forms if each target analyte and its isotopically labelled form coelute. Under these conditions they are subject to identical excitation environments and are measured from the same viewed volumes. Consequently, improved quantitative results may be attained by coelution in GC-AED methods which mimic isotope dilution.