Comprehensive Three-dimensional Gas Chromatography Research Articles

Enabling cuboid-based fisher ratio analysis using total-transfer comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC3-TOFMS) is a promising instrumental platform for the separation of volatiles and semi-volatiles due to its increased peak capacity and selectivity relative to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with TOFMS (GC×GC-TOFMS). Given the recent advances in GC3-TOFMS instrumentation, new data analysis methods are now required to analyze its complex data structure efficiently and effectively. This report highlights the development of a cuboid-based Fisher ratio (F-ratio) analysis for supervised, non-targeted studies. This approach builds upon the previously reported tile-based F-ratio software for GC×GC-TOFMS data. Cuboid-based F-ratio analysis is enabled by constructing 3D cuboids within the GC3-TOFMS chromatogram and calculating F-ratios for every cuboid on a per-mass channel basis. This methodology is evaluated using a GC3-TOFMS data set of jet fuel spiked with both non-native and native components. The neat and spiked jet fuels were collected on a total-transfer (100 % duty cycle) GC3-TOFMS instrument, employing thermal modulation between the first (1D) and second dimension (2D) columns and dynamic pressure gradient modulation between the 2D and third dimension (3D) columns. In total, cuboid-based F-ratio analysis discovered 32 spiked analytes in the top 50 hits at concentration ratios as low as 1.1. In contrast, tile-based F-ratio analysis of the corresponding GC×GC-TOFMS data only discovered 28 of the spiked analytes total, with only 25 of them in the top 50 hits. Along with discovering more analytes, cuboid-based F-ratio analysis of GC3-TOFMS data resulted in fewer false positives. The increased discoverability is due to the added peak capacity and selectivity provided by the 3D column with GC3-TOFMS resulting in improved chromatographic resolution.

Principal component analysis of comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry data

Comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatography (GC3) coupled to time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (GC3-TOFMS) is an intriguing extension of the well-established comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) technique. Although impressive gains have been made in the instrumentation realm, the utility of non-targeted chemometric analysis of GC3-TOFMS data has yet to be explored. Herein, we present the first application of principal component analysis (PCA) to a GC3-TOFMS dataset of jet fuel samples. Five replicates each of four jet fuels (JP8, J1800A, JP4, and JP7) were collected by GC3-TOFMS with commercial thermal modulation from the first-dimension column (1D) to the second-dimension column (2D), and dynamic pressure gradient modulation (DPGM) from the 2D column to the third-dimension column (3D), thus providing full mass transfer (100% duty cycle both modulation stages). A novel re-registration technique is introduced in which a user-selected series of vacant 3D modulations are removed to correct 2D shifting and effectively “center” the data. This shifting has consistently been observed in the 2D versus 1D view of GC3-TOFMS chromatograms, likely due to the slowed flow on 2D in DPGM and/or temperature programming effects. The 3D PCA loadings of the re-registered data revealed subtle chemical differences between the fuels which would not be as easily elucidated using PCA of GC×GC data. Finally, PCA of the two most chemically similar fuels (J1800A and JP7) revealed additional chemical differences which were drowned out in the initial multi-fuel PCA model, highlighting the potential advantage of “pairwise” PCA for multi-class GC3-TOFMS datasets.

Average theoretical peak time as a metric to analytical speed in one dimensional and multidimensional gas chromatographic separations

The definition of a chromatographic analysis speed based simply on analysis time is an outdated concept to define conventional chromatography, fast chromatography, and emerging high-resolution techniques such as comprehensive two-dimensional and comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography. Here, the metric average theoretical peak time (ATPT) is proposed for separation speed, considering conventional and multidimensional separations. ATPT can be defined as the time (in ms per peak) needed to elute a theoretical peak in a chromatographic system. Using this metric, it is possible to define ranges, proposed for a normal speed (ATPT higher than 4000ms/peak), high speed (ATPT range from 600 to 4000ms/peak), very high speed (ATPT range from 200 to 600ms/peak), hyper speed (ATPT range from 3.3 to 200ms/peak) and ultra high speed chromatography (ATPT lower than 3.3ms/peak), that combines time and efficiency metrics. This metric was applied in several contexts to demonstrate its robustness to evaluate chromatographic separations for different techniques and analytical conditions. Applications also demonstrate the advantages of the use of ATPT as a method development metric tool.

Determination of the Signal-To-Noise Ratio Enhancement in Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography.

We investigate the extent to which comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3) provides a signal enhancement (SE) and a signal-to-noise ratio enhancement (S/NRel) relative to one-dimensional (1D)-GC. Specifically, the SE is defined as the ratio of the tallest 3D peak height from the GC3 separation to the 1D peak height from the unmodulated 1D-GC separation. A model is proposed which allows the analyst to predict the theoretically attainable SE (SET) based upon the peak width and sampling density inputs. The model is validated via comparison of the SET to the experimentally measured SE (SEM) obtained using total-transfer GC3 (100% duty cycle for both modulators) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection. Two experimental conditions were studied using the same GC3 column set, differing principally in the modulation period from the 1D to 2D columns: 4 s versus 8 s. Under the first set of conditions, the average SEM was 97 (±22), in excellent agreement with the SET of 97 (±18). The second set of conditions improved the average SEM to 181 (±27), also in agreement with the average SET of 176 (±26). The average S/NRel following correction for the mass spectrum acquisition frequency was 38.8 (±11.2) and 59.0 (±27.2) for the two sets of conditions. The enhancement in S/N is largely attributed to moving the signal to a higher frequency domain where the impact of "low frequency" noise is less detrimental. The findings here provide strong evidence that GC3 separations can provide enhanced detectability relative to 1D-GC and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) separations.

Total-transfer comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Although comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC × GC) is a powerful technique for complex samples, component overlap remains likely. An intriguing route to address this challenge is to utilize the additional peak capacity and chemical selectivity provided by comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatography (GC3), especially with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (GC3-TOFMS). However, the GC3-TOFMS instrumentation reported to date has employed one or both modulators with a duty cycle < 100%, making the potential gain in detection sensitivity over GC × GC modest, or perhaps even worse. Herein, we describe instrumentation for GC3-TOFMS in which both modulators provide total-transfer (100% duty cycle). Specifically, the instrument is based on the facile modification of a commercial thermally modulated comprehensive GC × GC-TOFMS platform for modulation from the 1D column to the 2D column, with recently described dynamic pressure gradient modulation (DPGM) as the second modulator from the 2D column to the 3D column, which is a total-transfer flow modulation technique. Area measurements of 1D peaks are compared to the sum of 3D peak areas to validate the assumption that total-transfer from 1D to 3D is accomplished. Additionally, peak heights were amplified by as high as a factor of 177 (x̅ = 130, s = 47) via comparison of 1D peak heights to the maximum 3D peak heights. Column selection is explored, with emphasis on the resulting peak width-at-base on each dimension and usage of 3D space as evaluation metrics. Using a nonpolar × polar × ionic liquid column combination, an effective peak capacity which considers modulation-induced broadening as high as 32,300 for select analytes was achieved (x̅ = 19,900, s = 10,700). The analytical benefits of employing three selective phases, mass spectrometry detection, and total-transfer modulation are explored with separations of a metabolomics-type sample, i.e., derivatized porcine serum, and a jet fuel spiked with various sulfur-containing compounds.

Discovery-based analysis and quantification for comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography flame ionization detection data

Basic principles are introduced for implementing discovery-based analysis with automated quantification of data obtained using comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC3-FID). The GC3-FID instrument employs dynamic pressure gradient modulation, providing full modulation (100% duty cycle) with a fast modulation period (PM) of 100 ms. Specifically, tile-based Fisher-ratio analysis, previously developed for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS), is adapted and applied for GC3-FID where the third chromatographic dimension (3D) is treated as the “spectral” dimension. To evaluate the instrumental platform and software implementation, ten “non-native” compounds were spiked into a ninety-component base mixture to create two classes with a concentration ratio of two for the spiked analyte compounds. The Fisher ratio software identified 95 locations of potential interest (i.e., hits), with all ten spiked analytes discovered within the top fourteen hits. All 95 hits were quantified by a novel signal ratio (S-ratio) algorithm portion of the F-ratio software, which determines the time-dependent S-ratio of the 3D chromatograms from one class to another, thus providing relative quantification. The average S-ratio for spiked analytes was 1.94 ± 0.14 mean absolute error (close to the nominal concentration ratio of two), and 1.06 ± 0.16 mean absolute error for unspiked (i.e., matrix) components. The appearance of the S-ratio as a function of 3D retention time in the GC3 dataset, referred to as an S-ratiogram, provides indication of peak purity for each hit. The unique shape of the S-ratiogram for hit 1, α-pinene, suggested likely 3D overlap. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) decomposition of the hit location confirmed that overlap was occurring and successfully decomposed α-pinene from a highly overlapped (3Rs = 0.1) matrix interferent.

Consumable-free Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography and PARAFAC for Determination of Allergens in Perfumes

A new consumable-free three-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography (GC3-FID) was designed with modulators already known to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) users to showcase the opportunity of implementing GC3 systems. A hybrid interface composed of a thermal desorption modulator and a fast forward-flush differential flow modulator was used with modulation periods of 6 s and 300 ms, respectively. The determination of allergens in perfumes associated with chemometric tools, namely, parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was accomplished to demonstrate the validity of the proposed system. Evaluated allergens included already regulated ones in Brazil and Europe, such as geraniol and menthol, as well as potential allergens recommended in a 2011 opinion reported by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. Limits of detection were found to be suitable for current regulations, under 0.001% or 10 µL L−1 for leave-on products. Considerations on the required acquisition rates, the limitations imposed by current modulator technology, the modulation periods used, and how they affect all three dimensions are thoroughly discussed. A GC3 coupled with mass spectrometry (GC3-MS) approach is also covered, as well as a comparison of the signal resolution/deconvolution with the increase of data dimensionality. Lastly, the union of GC3 and chemometric tools allowed for a solution that may be used for both qualitative and quantitative analyses.

Development of Ultrafast Separations Using Negative Pulse Partial Modulation To Enable New Directions in Gas Chromatography.

Partial modulation via a pulse flow valve operated in the negative pulse mode is developed for high-speed one-dimensional gas chromatography (1D-GC), comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC × GC), and comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3). The pulse flow valve readily provides very short modulation periods, PM, demonstrated herein at 100, 200, and 300 ms, and holds significant promise to increase the scope and applicability of GC instrumentation. The negative pulse mode creates an extremely narrow, local analyte concentration pulse. The reproducibility of the negative pulse mode is validated in a 1D-GC mode, where a pseudosteady-state analyte stream is modulated, and 8 analytes are baseline resolved (resolution, Rs ≥ 1.5) in a 200 ms window, providing a peak capacity, nc, of 14 at unit resolution ( Rs = 1.0). Additionally, the pulse width, pw, of the pulse flow valve "injection" relationship to peak width-at-base, wb, resolution between peaks and detection sensitivity are studied. To demonstrate the applicability to GC × GC, a high-speed separation of a 20-component test mixture of similar, volatile analytes is shown. Analytes were separated on the second-dimension column, 2D, with 2 wb ranging from 7 to 12 ms, providing an exceptional 2D peak capacity, 2 nc, of ∼12 using a modulation period ( PM) of 100 ms. Next, a 12 min separation of a diesel sample using a PM of 300 ms is presented. The 1 wb is ∼4 s, resulting in a 1 nc of ∼180, and 2 wb is ∼18 ms, resulting in a 2 nc of ∼17, thus achieving a nc,2D of ∼3000 in this rapid GC × GC diesel separation. Finally, GC3 with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) detection using a PM of 100 ms applied between the 2D and 3D columns is reported. Narrow third dimension, 3D, peaks with 3 wb of ∼15 ms were obtained, resulting in a GC3 peak capacity, nc,3D, of ∼35 000 in a 45 min separation.

Column selection approach to achieve a high peak capacity in comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography

The separation power of comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3) is substantially enhanced through proper selection of the phase volume ratio, β, of each column relative to each other on successive dimensions. Consideration and application of the ratio of phase volume ratios, βr, or β ratio, between successive dimensions has been a relatively un-studied approach to maximize separating power in comprehensive multidimensional GC instrument design. Herein, proper selection of βr in multidimensional GC is shown to control the elution temperature, Te, of analytes throughout a 40 min primary (1D) column separation, and thus better control width-at-base, W, on all three dimensions. Specifically, between the 1D and secondary (2D) columns, a βr of 0.45 was applied, and between the 2D and tertiary (3D) columns a βr of 1.0 was applied. A total ideal peak capacity of 30,600, or a peak capacity production of ~770 peaks/min, was accomplished with the GC3 instrument with the reconfigured parameters. Additionally, due to the complex nature of this three-dimensional data, a novel approach to “slicing” the chromatographic run into user-defined time intervals is shown. This novel way to view the data still elicits a traditional GC×GC chromatograms, but with the focus on 2D × 3D separations. Moreover, due to proper βr selection, every 2 s window (i.e. every 1D modulation period) is shown to have a peak capacity of ~50–100 for each 2D × 3D separation. This high overall peak capacity (30,600) and peak capacity per 1D modulation (~50–100), courtesy of proper column selection, is demonstrated to hold great promise to physically separate truly complex mixtures.

Targeted analyte deconvolution and identification by four-way parallel factor analysis using three-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometry data

Comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC3-TOFMS) creates an opportunity to explore a new paradigm in chemometric analysis. Using this newly described instrument and the well understood Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) model we present one option for utilization of the novel GC3-TOFMS data structure. We present a method which builds upon previous work in both GC3 and targeted analysis using PARAFAC to simplify some of the implementation challenges previously discovered. Conceptualizing the GC3-TOFMS instead as a one-dimensional gas chromatograph with GC × GC-TOFMS detection we allow the instrument to create the PARAFAC target window natively. Each first dimension modulation thus creates a full GC × GC-TOFMS chromatogram fully amenable to PARAFAC. A simple mixture of 115 compounds and a diesel sample are interrogated through this methodology. All test analyte targets are successfully identified in both mixtures. In addition, mass spectral matching of the PARAFAC loadings to library spectra yielded results greater than 900 in 40 of 42 test analyte cases. Twenty-nine of these cases produced match values greater than 950.

Comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry separation of diesel

Diesel, a complex hydrocarbon mixture, was examined using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) and a field ionization mass spectrometer (FIMS), which preferentially yields molecular ions, providing an extra dimension for component separation. Molecular ions collected at low mass resolution can be assigned an NM-class (Nominal Mass-class) value that does not completely express hydrogen deficiency. In contrast to formulae and Z-class assignments that are possible from ultrahigh mass resolution, NM-class assignments are not unambiguous; however, the separation provided by GC×GC can result in coelution of components that differ in NM-class. Hence, compounds that are unresolved by GC×GC separation can be resolved by FIMS provided they differ in mass. This technique allows for easy, automated data processing, evaluation of coelution on quantitative analysis (e.g., using FID) and the identification of additional chemical species and structures. The development of GC×GC×MS creates new opportunities to improve the ability to determine hydrocarbon composition and structure in complex petroleum and refined petroleum products.

Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Development of comprehensive, three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection (GC3/TOFMS) is described. This instrument provides four dimensions (4D) of chemical selectivity and includes significant improvements to total selectivity (mass spectrometric and chromatographic), peak identification, and operational temperature range relative to previous models of the GC3 reported. The new instrumental design and data output are evaluated and illustrated via two samples, a 115-component test mixture and a diesel fuel spiked with several compounds, for the purpose of illustrating the chemical selectivity benefits of this instrumental platform. Useful approaches to visualize the 4D data are presented. The GC3/TOFMS instrument experimentally achieved total peak capacity, nc,3D, ranging from 5000 to 9600 (x̅ = 7000, s = 1700) for 10 representative analytes for 50 min separations with component dimensional peak capacities averaging 406, 3.6, and 4.9 for 1D, 2D, and 3D, respectively. Particularly, GC3/TOFMS achieved a combined 2D × 3D peak capacity ranging from 10 to 26 (x̅ = 17.6, s = 5.0), which is similar to what is achieved by 2D alone in a GC × GC operating at equivalent modulation period conditions. The analytical benefits of employing three varied chemical selectivities in the 3D separation coupled with TOFMS are illustrated through the separation and detection of 1,6-dichlorohexane and cyclohexyl isothiocyanate as part of the diesel fuel analysis.

Increasing selectivity in comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography via an ionic liquid stationary phase column in one dimension

Recent advances in improving the selectivity and performance for a comprehensive, three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatograph (GC(3)) instrument are described. With GC(3), two six-port diaphragm valves are utilized as the interfaces between three, in-series capillary columns housed in a standard GC instrument fitted with a high data acquisition rate flame ionization detector (FID). Modulation periods for sampling from one column to the next are set so that sufficient slices (i.e., modulations) are acquired by the subsequent dimension resulting in comprehensive data. We present GC(3) instrumentation with significantly higher 3D peak capacity than previously reported. An average peak capacity production (i.e., per time) of 180 resolved peaks per minute was experimentally achieved for three representative analytes in a 3D diesel sample separation. This peak capacity production is about 4 times higher than our previous report. We also demonstrate the significant benefit of the added chemical selectivity of the three column GC(3) instrument relative to a two column GC x GC instrument, in which one of the three columns is a triflate ionic liquid stationary phase column with a high selectivity for phosphonated compounds (i.e., di-methyl-methyl phosphonate, di-ethyl-methyl phosphonate and di-isopropyl-methyl phosphonate). Using all three separation dimensions, the 2D separation fingerprint of a diesel sample is simultaneously obtained along with selective information regarding the phosphonated compounds in the diesel samples in the additional dimension.

Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography with Parallel Factor Analysis

Development of a comprehensive, three-dimensional gas chromatograph (GC3) instrument is described. The instrument utilizes two six-port diaphragm valves as the interfaces between three, in-series capillary columns housed in a standard Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph fitted with a high data acquisition rate flame ionization detector. The modulation periods for sampling column one by column two and column two by column three are set so that a minimum of three slices (more commonly four or five) are acquired by the subsequent dimension resulting in both comprehensive and quantitative data. A 26-component test mixture and quantitative standards are analyzed using the GC3 instrument. A useful methodology for three-dimensional (3D) data analysis is evaluated, based on the chemometric technique parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Since the GC3 instrument produces trilinear data, we are able to use this powerful chemometric technique, which is better known for the analysis of two-dimensional (2D) separations with multichannel detection (e.g., GC x GC-TOFMS) or multiple samples (or replicates) of 2D data. Using PARAFAC, we mathematically separate (deconvolute) the 3D data "volume" for overlapped analytes (i.e., ellipsoids), provided there is sufficient chromatographic resolution in each of the three separation dimensions. Additionally, PARAFAC is applied to quantify analyte standards. For the quantitative analysis, it is demonstrated that PARAFAC may provide a 10-fold improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio relative to a traditional integration method applied to the raw, baseline-corrected data. The GC3 instrument obtains a 3D peak capacity of 3500 at a chromatographic resolution of one in each separation dimension. Furthermore, PARAFAC deconvolution provides a considerable enhancement in the effective 3D peak capacity.

GC3: Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography

Comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3) is demonstrated using modified GC×GC apparatus. A new thermal modulation scheme employing a single moving heater to operate two thermal modulators is introduced. Considerations of the bandwidth/resolution tradeoff of GC3 show that high-speed tertiary columns would make GC3 practical, with modest loss of underlying GC×GC peak capacity.

GC3: Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Gas Chromatography

Comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3) is demonstrated using modified GC×GC apparatus. A new thermal modulation scheme employing a single moving heater to operate two thermal modulators is introduced. Considerations of the bandwidth/resolution tradeoff of GC3 show that high-speed tertiary columns would make GC3 practical, with modest loss of underlying GC×GC peak capacity.