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We present a new chromatogram decomposition method for Gas Chromatography (GC) which represents a chromatogram as a sum of template functions inspired by the analytic solution of mass balance equation. The proposed method starts by approximating GC response of a single gas by these template functions. Consequently, it utilizes the temporal translation and dilation of this approximate response to approximate GC responses of other gases of interest. The results are demonstrated on lab data using calibration bottles containing mixtures of C 1 - C 5. Correlation of the amplitudes of the decomposed responses and injected concentrations indicates linear calibration curves are sufficient to estimate C 1 - C 5 concentrations. The performance of the method is demonstrated by a ratio test where a calibration bottle with C 1 concentration 300 times larger than C 2 and C 3 concentrations is injected into GC. • Expressing response of a GC system to a single gas using functions inspired by the analytic solution of a mass balance equation. • Approximating responses of a GC system to other gases as an affine transformed version of response of the single gas. • Calibration and subsequent quantitative analysis with an application for sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is focused on the use of a vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectrometer (VUV) for gas chromatography (GC), within the context of flow modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (FM GC × GC). The features of the VUV detector were evaluated through the analysis of petrochemical and fatty acids samples. Besides responding in a predictable fashion via Beer’s law principles, the detector provides additional spectroscopic information for qualitative analysis. Virtually all chemical species absorb and have unique gas phase absorption features in the 120–240 nm wavelength range monitored. The VUV detector can acquire up to 90 full range absorption spectra per second, allowing its coupling with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography. This recent form of detection can address specific limitations related to mass spectrometry ( e.g., identification of isobaric and isomeric species with very similar mass spectra or labile chemical compounds), and it is also able to deconvolute co-eluting peaks. Moreover, it is possible to exploit a pseudo-absolute quantitation of analytes based on pre-recorded absorption cross-sections for target analytes, without the need for traditional calibration. Using this and the other features of the detector, particular attention was devoted to the suitability of the FM GC × GC-VUV system toward qualitative and quantitative analysis of bio-diesel fuel and different kinds of fatty acids. Satisfactory results were obtained in terms of tailing factor (1.1), asymmetry factor (1.1), and similarity (average value 97%), for the FAMEs mixtures analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas chromatography coupled with high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry (GC–HR-TOFMS) has gained popularity for the target and suspect analysis of complex samples. However, confident detection of target/suspect analytes in complex samples, such as produced water, remains a challenging task. Here we report on the development and validation of a two stage algorithm for the confident target and suspect analysis of produced water extracts. We performed both target and suspect analysis for 48 standards, which were a mixture of 28 aliphatic hydrocarbons and 20 alkylated phenols, in 3 produced water extracts. The two stage algorithm produces a chemical standard database of spectra, in the first stage, which is used for target and suspect analysis during the second stage. The first stage is carried out through five steps via an algorithm here referred to as unique ion extractor (UIE). During the first step the m / z values in the spectrum of a standard that do not belong to that standard are removed in order to produce a clean spectrum and then during the last step the cleaned spectrum is calibrated. The Dot-product algorithm, during the second stage, uses the cleaned and calibrated spectra of the standards for both target and suspect analysis. We performed the target analysis of 48 standards in all 3 samples via conventional methods, in order to validate the two stage algorithm. The two stage algorithm was demonstrated to be more robust, reliable, and less sensitive to the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), when compared to the conventional method. The Dot-product algorithm showed lower potential in producing false positives compared to the conventional methods, when dealing with complex samples. We also evaluated the effect of the mass accuracy on the performances of Dot-product algorithm. Our results indicated the crucial importance of HR-MS data and the mass accuracy for confident suspect analysis in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for rapid, quantitative determination of trace permanent gases and carbon dioxide in ultra-high purity ammonia by dual-channel two-dimensional GC-PDHID is presented. An improved matrix back-flush-to-vent approach combining back-flush column switching technique with auxiliary NaHSO 4 ammonia trap is described. The NaHSO 4 trap prevents traces of ammonia from entering the analytical column and is shown not to affect the impurity content of the sample. The approach allows shortening the analysis time and increasing the amount of measurements without extensive maintenance of the GC-system. The performance of the configuration has been evaluated utilizing ammonia- and helium-based calibration standards. The method has been applied for the analysis of 99.9999+% ammonia purified by high-pressure distillation at the production site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe modified gas chromatography electron-impact/triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–EI/MS/MS) utilizing a newly developed hydrogen-injected self-cleaning ion source and modified 9 mm extractor lens. This instrument, with optimized parameters, achieves quantitative separation of 62 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Existing methods historically limited rigorous identification and quantification to a small subset, such as the 16 PAHs the US EPA has defined as priority pollutants. Without the critical source and extractor lens modifications, the off-the-shelf GC–EI/MS/MS system was unsuitable for complex PAH analysis. Separations were enhanced by increased gas flow, a complex GC temperature profile incorporating multiple isothermal periods, specific ramp rates, and a PAH-optimized column. Typical determinations with our refined GC–EI/MS/MS have a large linear range of 1–10,000 pg μl −1 and detection limits of <2 pg μl −1 . Included in the 62 PAHs, multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode enabled GC-EI/MS/MS identification and quantitation of several constituents of the MW 302 PAH isomers. Using calibration standards, values determined were within 5% of true values over many months. Standard curve r 2 values were typically >0.998, exceptional for compounds which are archetypally difficult. With this method benzo[a]fluorene, benzo[b]fluorene, benzo[c]fluorene were fully separated as was benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, and benzo[j]fluoranthene. Chrysene and triphenylene, were sufficiently separated to allow accurate quantitation. Mean limits of detection (LODs) across all PAHs were 1.02 ± 0.84 pg μl −1 with indeno[1,2,3-c,d] pyrene having the lowest LOD at 0.26 pg μl −1 and only two analytes above 2.0 pg μl −1 ; acenaphthalene (2.33 pg μl −1 ) and dibenzo[a,e]pyrene (6.44 pg μl −1 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SPME is extremely sensitive to experimental parameters affecting liquid–gas and gas–solid distribution coefficients. Our aims were to measure the weights of these factors and to design a multivariate strategy based on the addition of a pool of internal standards, to minimize matrix effects. Synthetic but real-like wines containing selected analytes and variable amounts of ethanol, non-volatile constituents and major volatile compounds were prepared following a factorial design. The ANOVA study revealed that even using a strong matrix dilution, matrix effects are important and additive with non-significant interaction effects and that it is the presence of major volatile constituents the most dominant factor. A single internal standard provided a robust calibration for 15 out of 47 analytes. Then, two different multivariate calibration strategies based on Partial Least Square Regression were run in order to build calibration functions based on 13 different internal standards able to cope with matrix effects. The first one is based in the calculation of Multivariate Internal Standards (MIS), linear combinations of the normalized signals of the 13 internal standards, which provide the expected area of a given unit of analyte present in each sample. The second strategy is a direct calibration relating concentration to the 13 relative areas measured in each sample for each analyte. Overall, 47 different compounds can be reliably quantified in a single fully automated method with overall uncertainties better than 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work demonstrates a novel method for rapid determination of total solid content in viscous liquid (polymer-enriched) samples. The method is based multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography (MHE-GC) on a headspace vial at a temperature above boiling point of water. Thus, the trend of water loss from the tested liquid due to evaporation can be followed. With the limited MHE-GC testing (e.g., 5 extractions) and a one-point calibration procedure (i.e., recording the weight difference before and after analysis), the total amount of water in the sample can be determined, from which the total solid contents in the liquid can be calculated. A number of black liquors were analyzed by the new method which yielded results that closely matched those of the reference method; i.e., the results of these two methods differed by no more than 2.3%. Compared with the reference method, the MHE-GC method is much simpler and more practical. Therefore, it is suitable for the rapid determination of the solid content in many polymer-containing liquid samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Identification of calibration compounds for selectivity evaluation. • Selectivity evaluated over the temperature range 60-260 °C. • Reduced calibration models as accurate as traditional models with a SE of 0.012 to 0.030. • Predictive capability of the calibration models had a RMSEP of 0.016 to 0.040. • Faster construction of system maps are a typical application. To facilitate faster selectivity evaluation of wall-coated, open-tubular columns using the solvation parameter model a reduced set of calibration compounds is identified and validated for the temperature ranges 60-140 °C and 160-260 °C. The Kennard-Stone uniform mapping algorithm is used to identify the calibration compounds from a larger database of compounds with known retention properties previously adopted for column selectivity evaluation. Thirty-five compounds for each temperature range are required to minimize the standard deviation of the system constants used for selectivity evaluation and to minimize differences between system constants determined by conventional calibration and the reduced calibration compounds. The models for the reduced calibration compounds on ten siloxane-based and poly(ethylene glycol) stationary phases have a coefficient of determination of 0.984 to 0.998 and standard error of the estimate of 0.012 to 0.30. The predictive capability of models is evaluated for the reduced sets of calibration compounds using external test sets with ranking of the calibration models by changes in the average error, average absolute error and root mean square error of prediction for the test sets. For the selected thirty-five reduced calibration compounds the range for the average absolute error was 0.014 to 0.033 and 0.016 to 0.040 for the root mean square error of prediction for the independent test sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]