Variable splitter for regulation of the solvent evaporation rate in the coupling of liquid chromatography with gas chromatography

Abstract

AbstractA system is described which accelerates the solvent evaporation rate in the retention gap. The evaporation is due to a saturation effect of the carrier gas stream, and a considerable increase in evaporation rate is obtained by inserting a split outlet between the retention gap and the capillary separation column in the gas chromatograph. By varying the backpressure of the spliter device, the flow rate through the retention gap can be adjusted and so too the evaporation rate. The evaporation process was monitored by inserting a dectecter in the split outlet line. The technique was applied to the on‐line LC trace enrichment/GC analysis of water containing a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.