Analysis of Aromatic Volatiles Utilizing a MEMS-Based Gas Chromatography Column

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to propose and apply a MEMS-based gas chromatography (GC) device comprising a miniature serpentine column. A 2 m long, 200 μm wide and 250 μm deep column was fabricated using a wet etching process and bonded to a Pyrex cover plate. After the GC column was coated with Carbowax 20M as the stationary phase, the concentrations of benzene, toluene, Ethylbenzene and m-Xylene were successfully detected in the mixed sample. The leakage test and mixed gas separation test achieved a useful separation result for Ethylbenzene-Xylene and Benzene-Toluen mixture at a 17.1 cm/s linear flow rate in a GC chip column.