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Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. Basic Components of a GC
3. Theory of Gas Chromatography
4. Example Chromatograms
5. EPA 500 Series Methods
6. Key to Terminology
7. Pop Quiz
8. Web Links to Related Topics
9. References
Introduction
Basic Components of a GC
Gas supply or Carrier Gas
Injector
Oven
Detector
As compounds come off the column, they enter a detector. The compound and detector
interact to generate a signal. The size of the signal corresponds to the amount the
compound present in the sample. There are several different types of detectors that can be
employed, depending on the compounds to be analyzed. These detectors can measure
from 10-15 to 10-6 gram of a single component.
The data recorder plots the signal from the detector over time. This plot is called a
chromatogram. The retention time, which is when the component elutes from the GC
system, is qualitatively indicative of the type of compound. The data recorder also has an
integrator component to calculate the area under the peaks or the height of the peak. The
area or height is indicative of the amount of each component.
Theory of Gas Chromatography
The retention time is the total time that a compound spends in both the mobile phase and
stationary phase. Retention time is generally reported in minutes.
The dead time is the time a non-retained compound spends in the mobile phase which is
also the amount of time the non-retained compound spends in the column. Dead time is
generally reported in minutes.
The adjusted retention time is the time a compound spends in the stationary phase. The
adjusted retention time is the difference between the dead time and the retention time for
a compound.
The capacity factor is the ratio of the mass of the compound in the stationary phase
relative to the mass of the compound in the mobile phase. The capacity factor is a unitless
measure of the column's retention of a compound.
Phase Ratio (ß)
The phase ratio relates the column diameter and film thickness of the stationary phase.
The phase ratio is unitless and constant for a particular column and represent the volume
ratioß.
The selectivity is a ratio of the capacity factors of two peaks. The selectivity is always
equal to or greater than one. If the selectivity equals one the two compounds cannot be
separated. The higher the selectivity, the more separation between two compounds or
peaks.
Efficiency
The efficiency is related to the number of compounds that can separated by the column.
The efficiency is expressed as the number of theoretical plates (N, unitless) or as the
height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP, generally in millimeters). The efficiency
increases as the height equivalent to a theoretical plate decreases, thus more compounds
can be separated by the column. The efficiency increases as the number of theoretical
plates increases, thus the column's ability to separate two closely eluting peaks increases.
Example Chromatograms
Figure 9.
Figure 10.
Figure 11.
Figure 12.
Figure 13.
Figure 15.
a) injector
b) mobile phase
c) stationary phase
2. Given napthalene (boiling point = 218?C), phenol (boiling point = 181.7?C), and
toluene (boiling point = 110.6?C). Which compound will elute first on a nonpolar
column?
a) naphthalene
b) phenol
c) toluene
3. What will happen to the retention time if the flow rate is increased?
a) increase
b) decrease
c) no change
5. What will happen to the peak height if the split ratio is decreased?
a) increase
b) decrease
c) no change
References