Long term noise – frequency that is
Detectors
Types
General detector
- Respond to bulk properties (e.g.
Refractive index)
Specific detector
- Respond to some properties of the
solute by the mobile phase (e.g. UV
absorption)
Desired characteristics
- Universal response
Responds to any component that
passes to the column
- Linear dynamic range
Linear response for calib cruve
- Ease of operation
- Reliablity
Could be used in a longer period of time
without baseline drift
- Good Stability
Less electronic noise and less baseline
drift
Arranged according the size:
Short term noise – base line
perturbations. Frequiency significantly
higher than the eluted peak. Solution:
Noise filters. Source: electronic
similar to the eluted peak. Sources:
Temp, pressure and flow rate changes
or irregular column bleed. Determines
the limits of detector sensitivity and
LOD. Solution: use detector time-
constant and data system sampling
rates, regularly flush the column with
strong solvent, minimize temp
fluctuations
Drift – baseline perturbation. Smaller
than eluted peak. Source: (GC) change
in temp, mobile phase flow rate and
column bleed, (HPLC) change in
Pressure temp and flow rate or
vatriation of solvent ratios. Causes is
impurity in the mobile phases and
incomplete colum equil.
Background noise – constant signal
above zero baseline. Sensitivity affected
by this. reduces sensitivity. Source –
(GC) injection port compone3nts and
GC septa (low bleed septa)
High stability – low background noise
High sensitivity – low background noise,
fast response
- Fast response
Results into a sharper peak
Limit of detection
Height of signal = (2)(largest noise
signal)
How to improve
- Increasing peak sharpness
- Higher sample
- GC – optimum flow rate and high
temp
- HPLC signal - optimizing mobile
phase ration and longer path
lengths
Unit of LOD
Measure of the speed of response of a
detector. More specifically time a
detector takes to resppnd to a sudden
chang in a signal
T(constant)=V (peak volume)/flow rate
Increasing the time constant distorts
the peak shapes. It shifts to a wider
peak width as u increase the time
constant from the optimum

GC – g/sec or g/ml

HPLC – mM or mg/ml Linearity

Sensitivity Linearity = upper limit of linear

range/minimum detectability
When linearity falls of is called the
upper limit of dynamic range Linear range vs Dynamic range

Lowest point of concentration is called Linear Dynamic

the at a curve is called the minimum Part that is Lower limit of the
detection linear range is the
minimum
detectability
Upper limit is the
Increases signal Decreases noise highest conc that will
Detector Incease detector give a change in
adjustment time constant detector signal, but
Sensitive detector More data may not be linear
system averaging Dynamic range
Analyte Temp control usually has a bigger
derivatization scope than linear
Smaller k Higher reagent
solvent purity Detector Classification
Smaller column Better sample
1) Concentration versus Mass flow rate
volume clean up
Large plate number Constant flow A) concentration types
Column
switching Produces signal prop to concentration

B) Mass flow rate type

Time constant Produces signal prop to mass flow
irrespective of the carrier gas volume
2) Bulk vs. Specific property

A) Bulk property

Measures a prop exhibited by both

mobile phase and the analyte. Adv.
Could detect all solutes that could
screen new samples of unknown
competition. Disadv. Insensitive
inherently

B) Specific property

Only exhibits signal when sample

present (aka analyte or solute proterty)

3) destructive vs. non destructive

Most HPLC detector are non destructive

4) digital vs analog

Analog – signal generated is digitalized

before they can be manipulated by
digital computer

Digital detectors – produces digital

response directly