Enantiomer fractions instead of enantiomer ratios

The use of enantiomer ratios (ERs) to indicate the relative amounts of a pair of enantiomers in a sample has some disadvantages. Enantiomer fractions (EFs) are proposed as all alternative expression to eliminate the difficulties. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd

Use of an open-tubular trapping column as phase-switching interface in on-line coupled reversed-phase liquid chromatography-capillary gas chromatography

The applicability of open-tubular traps for phase switching in coupled RPLC—GC was studied. The phase-switching process involves sorption of the analytes of interest from a methanol—water mobile phase into the stationary phase of an open-tubular column, removal of the aqueous phase by purging the trap with nitrogen and desorption of the analytes with hexane. Water elimination carried out in this manner appears to be highly efficient. In the sorption step the sampling flow-rate and the capacity factors of the analytes in the trap are critical parameters. Using a 2 m × 0.32 mm I.D. trap with a swollen 5-μm stationary phase at flow-rates not exceeding 100 μl/min, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are trapped quantitatively from 300 μl of aqueous phases containing up to 65% (v/v) of methanol. For desorption 70–125 μl of hexane are needed. These volumes are easy to handle in solvent elimination carried out using a PTV injector prior to transfer of the analytes to a GC column

Determination of polychlorinated terphenyls in aquatic biota and sediment with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization.

Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) have been determined in aquatic biota and sediments by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization. The use of various methods of calculation is discussed. Total PCT concentrations expressed as A (Aroclor) 5442 equivalents ranged from 0.28 to 7400 μg/kg of wet weight in biota, with hexachloroterphenyls (hexa-CTs) as the major group of CTs present. In sediments, total PCT concentrations expressed as A5442 equivalents ranged from 22 to 100 μg/kg of wet weight, with hepta-CTs as the dominant group of congeners. Total PCT concentrations in biota were approximately 1-10% of total polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) concentrations and in sediments 1025% of total PCB concentrations. The rather unexpectedly high concentrations of PCTs, especially in the sediment samples, should stimulate further research on their general environmental distribution

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) measurements of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere

Abstract. During the MINOS campaign in August 2001 comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) was applied to the in situ measurements of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the Finokalia ground station, Crete. The measurement system employs a thermal desorption unit for on-line sampling and injection, and a GC×GC separation system equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID) for detection. The system was optimized to resolve C7 − C14 organic components. Two-dimensional chromatograms from measurements of Finokalia air samples show several hundred wellseparated peaks. To facilitate peak identification, cartridge samples collected at Finokalia were analyzed using the same GC×GC system coupled with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). The resulting mass spectra were deconvoluted and compared to spectra from a database for tentative peak identification. About 650 peaks have been identified in the two-dimensional plane, with significant signal/noise ratios (>100) and high spectra similarities (>800). By comparing observed retention indices with those found in the literature, 235 of the identifications have been confirmed. 150 of the confirmed compounds show up in the C7 − C14 range of the chromatogram from the in situ measurement. However, at least as many peaks remain unidentified. For quantification of the GC×GC measurements, peak volumes of measured compounds have been integrated and externally calibrated using a standard gas mixture.