Gas Chromatographic Separation Research Articles

Comprehensive analysis of chemical and enantiomeric stability of terpenes in Cannabis sativa L. flowers.

Cannabis sativa L. is renowned for its medicinal and recreational uses. With the increasing global legalization of C.sativa L.-based products for medicinal purposes, there is a growing need for well-characterized products. While the stability of cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol is well understood, information on the chemical and enantiomeric stability of terpenes remains scarce. This is despite the fact that terpenes are also thought to have pharmacological activity and may contribute to the overall effect of C.sativa L. To address these challenges, four analytical methods based on chiral, polar, and apolar gas chromatographic separation combined with either MS or FID detection were developed and validated. These methods successfully separated and quantified a total of 29 terpenes, including 13 enantiomers and 5 diastereomers specific to C.sativa L. Furthermore, terpenes and authentic C.sativa L. flowers and extracts were subjected to UV and heat treatments to observe potential degradation reactions over time. Each terpene generates a unique pattern of degradation products resulting in a diverse array of oxidation and cyclization products. P-cymene was identified as a major product of terpene aging. Notably, no enantiomeric conversion was detected, suggesting that the formation of (-)-α-pinene in cannabis extracts, for example, originates from other terpenes. Terpenes have different degradation rates, even though they are structurally similar. In addition, cultivar- and growth-condition-specific enantiomeric ratios were observed in C.sativa L., confirming that enantiomer production is species-specific and has to be considered for therapeutical applications.

Fuel property modeling by high-speed gas chromatography coupled with partial least squares data analysis

Partial least squares (PLS) regression is a valuable chemometric tool for property prediction when coupled with gas chromatography (GC). Since the separation run time and stationary phase selection are crucial for effective PLS modeling, we study these GC parameters on the prediction of viscosity, density and hydrogen content for 50 aerospace fuels. Due to the diversity of compounds in the fuels (primarily alkanes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics), we explore both polar and non-polar stationary phase columns. The robustness for the PLS models was evaluated by their normalized root mean square error of cross-validation (NRMSECV). PLS models built for viscosity across 1-min, 3-min, 7-min, and 10-min time window (TW) high-speed GC separations produced nearly the same NRMSECV with the polar column data with an average (standard deviation) of 4.41 % (0.34 %) versus the non-polar column data of 4.69 % (0.15 %). In contrast, while the NRMSECV of density modeling with the polar column data varied more than the viscosity models, averaging 7.54 % (0.67 %), the non-polar column data produced a significantly higher average NRMSECV of 10.06 % (0.35 %). Similarly, for hydrogen content, the NRMSECV with the polar column data averaged 9.50 % (0.87 %), which was significantly lower than the NRMSECV with the non-polar column data averaging 12.10 % (0.88 %). We also investigated the impact of smoothing the GC data on the corresponding PLS models. By applying varying degrees of smoothing, we can effectively obtain similar chromatographic peak patterns in a shorter TW. For example, a 10-min smoothed chromatogram appears like the 1-min separation with no smoothing but resulted in nearly the same NRMSECV. Overall, the fast separation with a 1-min TW produced robust PLS models for viscosity with either stationary phase column, whereas for density and hydrogen content the polar stationary phase column produced superior PLS models, thus with proper stationary phase selection, a fast separation run time could be readily applied with optimal PLS property modeling results.

Recent progress for chiral stationary phases based on chiral porous materials in high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography separation.

Chirality is a fundamental property of nature. Separation and analysis of racemates are of great importance in the fields of medicine and the production of chiral biopharmaceutical intermediates. Chiral chromatography has the characteristics of a wide separation range, fast separation speed, and high efficiency. The development and preparation of novel chiral stationary phases with good chiral recognition and separation capacity is the core and key of chiral chromatographic separation and analysis. In this work, the representative research progress of novel chiral porous crystal materials including chiral covalent organic frameworks, chiral porous organic cages, chiral metal-organic frameworks, and chiral metal-organic cages used as chiral stationary phases of capillary gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography over the last 4 years is reviewed in detail. The chiral recognition and separation properties of the representative studies in this review are also introduced and discussed.

Optimizing COF crystallinity for high-resolution GC separation

This research explores the influence of crystallinity on gas chromatographic (GC) separation using covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as stationary phases. Three COF materials (CTF-DCBs) with varying crystallinity were synthesized and characterized. CTF-DCB-1, with superior crystallinity, demonstrated high-selectivity GC separation of benzene isomers as well as styrene/phenylacetylene mixtures, while CTF-DCB-2 and CTF-DCB-3 exhibited lower crystallinity and worse separation performance. Thermodynamic and kinetic tests showed that CTF-DCB-1 had the worst thermodynamic adsorption but low diffusion mass transfer resistance, which resulted in the best separation. Therefore, optimizing the crystallinity of COFs is necessary for balancing the kinetic diffusion and thermodynamic interactions towards the analytes, achieving high-performance GC stationary phases.

Ionic liquid-functionalized pillar[6]arene: A novel stationary phase of high selectivity towards a wide range of isomers

In this work, a novel pillar[6]arene bonded with octyl-imidazolium ionic liquids (IMP6A-C4) as a stationary phase for gas chromatographic (GC) separations was designed, synthesized, and characterized. The IMP6A-C4 capillary column, prepared by the static coating method, had medium polarity (133) and relatively high column efficiency of 4982 plates/m determined by n-dodecane at 120 ℃. As demonstrated, through the separation of the mixture of 17 aliphatic analytes and the mixture of 20 analytes with different polarities, the IMP6A-C4 column exhibited privileged retention and high resolving capacity for H-bonded and aromatic analytes, suggesting advantages over the P6A-C4 column and common polysiloxane HP-5 and HP-35 columns. Strikingly, it implemented high resolutions with good peak shapes for isomer mixtures of phenols, anilines, and benzaldehydes. These findings demonstrated that the excellent resolving performance of the IMP6A-C4 column can be attributed to the comprehensive interactions of its rigid 3D aromatic cavities and polar imidazolium ionic liquids, including π-π, ion-π, H-bonding, dipole–dipole interactions. On the other hand, the IMP6A-C4 capillary column exhibited good repeatability and reproducibility with the RSD% values in the range of 0.01–0.03% for run-to-run, 0.09–0.32% for day-to-day, and 2.72–5.23% for column-to-column. The satisfactory separation performance reveals the promising prospects of the IMP6A-C4 stationary phase in separation science.

A chiral metal–organic polyhedron used as stationary phase for gas chromatographic separations

Metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs), as a novel class of porous materials, exhibit distinctive application potential in molecular recognition, separation, catalysis, luminescent materials, drug delivery, and biomedicine owing to their tunable geometric shape and size, well-defined cavities, and discrete characteristics. In this study, we report that a chiral MOP [Cu12(LV)12(H2O)12] (V = L-valine) coated capillary column was used for gas chromatographic separations. The MOP coated capillary column offered the efficient separation of n-alkanes, alkylbenzenes, n-alcohols, multiple types of isomers, and enantiomers with high selectivity. Various enantiomers including esters, halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, and amino acid derivatives were well resolved on this chiral column, especially for some amino acid derivatives (e.g., Rs = 5.24 for tyrosine derivative). Compared with the commercial β-DEX 120 column for separation of the tested racemates, the chiral resolution performance of the MOP coated column can be complementary to that of β-DEX 120 column. Using 1,2-dichloropropane and o, m, p-dichlorobenzene as analytes, the MOP coated column exhibited good stability and reproducibility for gas chromatographic separations. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the retention time and peak area for repeated separation of 1, 2-dichloropropane and o, m, p-dichlorobenzene were less than 1.15 and 0.79 %, respectively. The results show that the chiral MOP holds great potential as a novel type of CSP for application in gas chromatography.

In silico Toxicity Assessment and Quantification of Potential Genotoxic Impurity in Olmesartan Medoxomil Drug Substance using GC-MS/MS

This study was designed to assess the in silico toxicity of 4-chloromethyl-5-methyl-1,3-dioxol-2-one (4-CMMD) in olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) using sophisticated advanced analytical GC-MS/MS method. The developed GC-MS/MS method is more sensitive as well as selective, for trace level analysis of genotoxic impurity 4-chloromethyl-5-methyl-1,3-dioxol-2-one (4-CMMD) in olmesartan medoxomil (OLM). In silico genotoxicity of 4-CMMD have been confimed by ICH M7 guidelines and tested to be “POSITIVE” in both knowledge and statistical based approaches. The conditions of gas chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry were optimized on stationary phase DB-35MS, helium carrier gas as at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. Quantification was performed in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The absence of interference at the retention time of 4-CMMD indicates that the newly developed approach is very specific and selective for accurately measuring trace levels of impurities. Additionally, this method provided linear results which were validated by linearity solutions, with concentrations ranging from 3.74 to 45.12 ppm and an observed coefficient of regression of 0.9981. Sensitivity results shows this method is more sensitive detection limit (DL) achieved at 1.23 ppm and quantification limit (QL) achieved at 3.74 ppm. The developed method is precise and accurate according to the precision results, which show RSD values < 10% and recovery > 90%, both of which are within acceptable standards. The solution stability of the samples was assessed at both room temperature and refrigerated settings, and it was found to be stable for a period of 48 h. As a result, this method has been employed for the intented purpose of quantifying 4-CMMD at the trace levels in testing laboratories, pharmaceutical analytical laboratories, and quality control laboratories.

Catalytic flash pyrolysis of Scenedesmus sp. post-extraction residue using low-cost HZSM-5 catalyst with the perspective to produce renewable aromatic hydrocarbons.

Recovering renewable chemicals from de-fatted microalgal residue derived from lipid extraction within the algal-derived biofuel sector is crucial, given the rising significance of microalgal-derived biodiesel as a potential substitute for petroleum-based liquid fuels. As a circular economy strategy, effective valorization of de-fatted biomass significantly improves the energetic and economic facets of establishing a sustainable algal-derived biofuel industry. In this scenario, this study investigates flash catalytic pyrolysis as a sustainable pathway for valorizing Scenedesmus sp. post-extraction residue (SPR), potentially yielding a bio-oil enriched with upgraded characteristics, especially renewable aromatic hydrocarbons. In the scope of this study, volatile products from catalytic and non-catalytic flash pyrolysis were characterized using a micro-furnace type temperature programmable pyrolyzer coupled with gas chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry detection (Py-GC/MS). Flash pyrolysis of SPR resulted in volatile products with elevated oxygen and nitrogen compounds with concentrations of 46.4% and 26.4%, respectively. In contrast, flash pyrolysis of lyophilized microalgal biomass resulted in lower concentrations of these compounds, with 40.9% oxygen and 17.3% nitrogen. Upgrading volatile pyrolysis products from SPR led to volatile products comprised of only hydrocarbons, while completely removing oxygen and nitrogen-containing compounds. This was achieved by utilizing a low-cost HZSM-5 catalyst within a catalytic bed at 500°C. Catalytic experiments also indicate the potential conversion of SPR into a bio-oil rich in monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, primarily BETX, with toluene comprising over one-third of its composition, thus presenting a sustainable pathway for producing an aromatic hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil derived from SPR. Another significant finding was that 97.8% of the hydrocarbon fraction fell within the gasoline range (C5-C12), and 35.5% fell within the jet fuel range (C8-C16). Thus, flash catalytic pyrolysis of SPR exhibits significant promise for application in drop-in biofuel production, including green gasoline and bio-jet fuel, aligning with the principles of the circular economy, green chemistry, and bio-refinery.

High Selectivity of A Novel Pillar[5]arene with Ester Units as a Gas Chromatographic Stationary Phase toward Aromatic Isomers.

This work reports the first example of employing ester-functionalized pillar[5]arene (P5A-C10-OAc) stationary phase for gas chromatography (GC) separations. The as-fabricated P5A-C10-OAc column achieved improved column efficiency of 4270 plates/m and separation performance in contrast to the P5-C10-Br column. The P5A-C10-OAc column showed good separation performance for a wide range of analytes such as alkanes, bromoalkanes, ketones, fatty acid methyl esters, aldehydes, alcohols, halobenzenes, anilines, phenols, naphthalenes, and showed sharp and symmetrical peak shapes for analytes that are liable to peak-tailing in GC analysis. As testified by the challenging isomer mixtures (bromonitrobenzene, chloronitrobenzene, bromobenzaldehyde, chlorobenzaldehyde, nitrobenzaldehyde), the P5A-C10-OAc column exhibited comprehensively higher separation capability than the P5A-C10-Br, P5A-C10 and commercial HP-35 columns. This work demonstrates the great potential of pillararene-based stationary phases as a new type of stationary phases for GC separations.

Gas Chromatographic Determination of Residual Concentrations of a Mixture of Organochlorine Pesticides in Food Products

Purpose of research. The aim of the work is to optimize the conditions for gas chromatographic determination of a mixture of eight organochlorine pesticides: aldrin, hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, α-hexachlorocyclohexane, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene.Methods. For chromatographic studies of organochlorine pesticides we used a Shimadzu GC-2010Plus gas chromatograph (Shimadzu, Japan) equipped with an automatic equilibrium vapor sample dispenser NT200N, electron-capture detector based on 63Ni and quartz capillary nonpolar column "Chromatek" SPB-5 (30 m, 0.32 mm, film thickness on the basis of phenyl(5%) and dimethyl(95%) polysiloxanes 0.5 μm) with an operating temperature range of 60°C 320/340°C. The chromatograms were processed in the application LabSolutions GPC.Results. On the basis of experimentally obtained data the optimal conditions for gas chromatographic determination and separation of eight-component mixture of organochlorine pesticides were selected, namely: the value of mobile phase flow division 1:10, carrier gas flow rate – 1.0 ml/min, two-stage temperature programmable column mode from 160 to 240°C with the rate of increase of 5°C/min. The metrological characteristics of the analysis and validation of the results of the proposed technique with the method of high-performance liquid chromatography were evaluated. Good reproducibility of chromatography results with the possibility of detection of organochlorine pesticides at the level of 10-6 – 10-5 μg/cm3 was proved. Application of Fisher's test has shown absence of significant differences in reproducibility of sampled populations the investigated methods of chromatographic analysis of COPCs are equally accurate. Extraction sample preparation of samples of real objects was proposed, the calculated extraction degrees >84% allow to recommend the technique for quantitative determination of analytes.Conclusion. The method of gas chromatographic analysis was tested for determination of organochlorine pesticides in samples of drinking water and baby puree (Russia) by additive method. Exceeding the norms of residual contents of organochlorine pesticides in the samples of the food products under study was not detected.

Ester-functionalized pillar[6]arene as the gas chromatographic stationary phase with high-resolution performance towards the challenging isomers of xylenes, diethylbenzenes, and ethyltoluenes.

This work presents the first example of theutilization of polar ester group functionalized pillar[6]arene (P6A-C10-OAc) as a stationary phase for capillary gas chromatographic (GC) separations. The statically coated P6A-C10-OAc column showed a high column efficiency of 5393 plates/m and moderate polar nature. Its resolving capability and retention behaviors were investigated for a mixture of 20 analytes and more than a dozen isomers from apolar to polar innature. As evidenced, the P6A-C10-OAc column achieved high-resolution separations of all the analytes and good inertness. Importantly, it exhibited distinctly advantageous performance for high resolution of thechallenging isomers of xylenes, diethylbenzenes, ethyltoluenes, and halobenzenes over the commercial HP-5 (5% phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane), HP-35 (25% phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane), and PEG-20M (polyethylene glycol) columns.

Sample Preparation from Plant Tissue for Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)we.

Metabolites are intermediate products formed during metabolism. Metabolites play different roles, including providing energy, supporting structure, transmitting signals, catalyzing reactions, enhancing defense, and interacting with other species. Plant metabolomics research aims to detect precisely all metabolites found within tissues of plants through GC-MS. This chapter primarily focuses on extracting metabolites using chemicals such as methanol, chloroform, ribitol, MSTFA, and TMCS. The metabolic analysis method is frequently used according to the specific kind of sample or matrix being investigated and the analysis objective. Chromatography (LC, GC, and CE) with mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy is used in modern metabolomics to analyze metabolites from plant samples. The most frequently used method for metabolites analysis is the GC-MS. It is a powerful technique that combines gas chromatography's separation capabilities with mass spectrometry, offering detailed information, including structural identification of each metabolite. This chapter contains an easy-to-follow guide to extract plant-based metabolites. The current protocol provides all the information needed for extracting metabolites from a plant, precautions, and troubleshooting.

Hydroxyl-functionalized pillar[5]arene with high separation performance for gas chromatography.

Here we report the first example of employing hydroxyl-functionalized pillar[5]arene (P5A-C10-OH) as stationary phase for capillary gas chromatographic (GC) separations. The statically coated P5A-C10-OH capillary column possessed moderate polarity and column efficiency of 3233 plates per m determined by n-dodecane. As a result, the P5A-C10-OH column exhibited high-resolution capability for the mixture of 17 analytes from apolar to polar nature. Importantly, it exhibited advantageous performance for high resolution of the challenging isomers of bromonitrobenzene, chloroaniline, bromoaniline, iodoaniline and dimethylaniline with good peak shapes over the P5A-C10 and commercial HP-35 columns. In addition, eight cis-/trans-isomers with diverse types were baseline separated on the P5A-C10-OH column. And the application of detecting isomeric impurities in real samples gave strong evidence of its potential and feasibility for the viable GC analysis.

A chiral emissive porous organic cage used for high-resolution gas chromatography separations

The illustration of a chiral and porous tubular organic molecular cage (3P-1) was obtained through a [3+6] imine condensation reaction that used as the chiral stationary phase for preparing a 3P-1-coated capillary column by the static coating method.

Increasing Mass Transfer Resistance of MOFs as a Reverse Tuning Strategy to Achieve High-Resolution Gas Chromatographic Separation.

In separation science, precise control and regulation of the MOF stationary phase are crucial for achieving a high separation performance. We supposed that increasing the mass transfer resistance of MOFs with excessive porosity to achieve a moderate mass transfer resistance of the analytes is the key to conducting the MOF stationary phase with a high resolution. Three-dimensional UiO-67 (UiO-67-3D) and two-dimensional UiO-67 (UiO-67-2D) were chosen to validate this strategy. Compared with UiO-67-3D with overfast mass transfer and low retention, the reduced porosity of UiO-67-2D increased the mass transfer resistance of analytes in reverse, resulting in improved separation performance. Kinetic diffusion experiments were conducted to verify the difference in mass transfer resistance of the analytes between UiO-67-3D and UiO-67-2D. In addition, the optimization of the UiO-67-2D thickness for separation revealed that a moderate diffusion length of the analytes is more advantageous in achieving the equilibrium of absorption and desorption.

Development of a fast GC-response factor method to quantify total FAMEs in biodiesel from various fatty acid sources

Biodiesel is a renewable energy source that can be employed as an alternative fuel to fossil diesel. Monitoring samples in terms of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) content using gas chromatography (GC) is a useful way to evaluate the quality of biodiesel produced. Fast GC can be used to reduce the time of analysis and consequently the costs, even though the equipment required for this may be expensive. Therefore, we developed and validated a Fast GC-response factor (Fast-GCRF) methodology using a low-priced nonpolar column, flame ionization detection (FID) and a standard chromatograph usually destined for conventional GC separations. The method was validated and applied to the quantification of FAMEs produced from various raw materials (soybean, cottonseed, canola, coconut, palm, sesame, sunflower, castor, corn, macauba, almond, peanut, chia seeds, residual frying oils, and chicken fat), being both selective and robust even when subjected to changes in sample preparation. The Fast GCRF method presented respective maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) values for instrumental precision, repeatability, and intermediate precision of 2.3 %, 3.6 %, and 2.8 %. When compared to conventional GC methodologies, accurate results with high degrees of agreement were obtained using the Fast-GCRF method, within an at least four times shorter analysis time.

General Two-Step Method for the Fabrication of Covalent-Organic Framework-Bound Open-Tubular Capillary Columns for High-Resolution Gas Chromatography Separation of Isomers.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising as stationary phases for gas chromatography (GC). The successful anchoring of COFs to the inner walls of the capillary with good uniformity is an important prerequisite to ensure the excellent separation performance of columns. However, current methods for the fabrication of COF-based capillary columns cannot always meet this requirement when faced with different COFs, which hampers the further development of COF-based GC stationary phases. Here, we show a general two-step method for the fabrication of COF-bound capillary column. The first step enables the formation of uniform amorphous polymer layer on the inner walls of capillary, while the second step allows the facile transformation of the amorphous polymer layer into a highly crystalline COF layer. COF-bound capillary columns with different framework structures were fabricated successfully by the developed two-step method. Impressively, the COF layers bound on the inner walls of these capillary columns showed good uniformity and high crystallinity. More importantly, as an example, the fabricated Tab-DHTA-bound capillary column showed good resolution (R > 1.5) and high column efficiency (700-39,663 plates m-1) for the tested isomers of ethylbenzene, xylene, dichlorobenzene, chlorotoluene, pinene, 1,3-dichloropropene, and propylbenzene with good precision (RSD, run-to-run, n = 5) (retention time, 0.2-0.6%; peak area, 0.5-1.1%; and peak height, 0.5-1.4%). In general, the fabricated Tab-DHTA-bound capillary column exhibited better performance for the separation isomers than commercial columns DB-5 and HP-FFAP. These results indicate that the two-step method is an efficient way to fabricate the COF-bound capillary column with excellent separation performance.

Quantitative Metabolism and Urinary Elimination Kinetics of Seven Neonicotinoids and Neonicotinoid-Like Compounds in Humans.

Reverse dosimetry, i.e., calculating the dose of hazardous substances that has been taken up by humans based on measured analyte concentrations in spot urine samples, is critical for risk assessment and requires metabolic and kinetic data. We quantitatively studied the metabolism of seven major neonicotinoid and neonicotinoid-like compounds (NNIs) after single oral doses in male volunteers and determined key kinetic parameters and urinary elimination for NNIs together with their metabolites. Complete and consecutive urine samples were collected over 48 h. All samples were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry, following liquid or gas chromatographic separation. Single- and group-specific NNI metabolites were quantified, i.e., hydroxylated and N-dealkylated NNIs and NNI-associated carboxylic acids and their glycine derivatives. Large, substance-dependent variations of key toxicokinetic parameters were observed. Mean times of concentration maxima (tmax) in urine varied between 2.0 (imidacloprid) and 25.8 h (N-desmethyl-clothianidin), whereas mean urinary elimination half-times (t1/2) were between 2.5 (acetamiprid) and 49.5 h (sulfoxaflor). Mean 48 h excretion fractions (Fue's) were between 0.03% (2-chloro-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxylic acid glycine) and 84% (clothianidin). In contrast, the interindividual differences of Fue's between the volunteers for each of the NNIs and their metabolites remained low (below a factor of 2 between the maximum and minimum derived Fue with the exception of 6-chloronicotinic acid in the acetamiprid dose study). The obtained quantitative data enabled choosing appropriate biomarkers for exposure assessment and, at the same time, for risk assessment by reverse dosimetry at current environmental exposures, i.e., comparing the calculated doses that have been taken up to currently available acceptable daily intakes of NNIs.

Benzimidazolium ionic liquid functionalized star-polycaprolactone stationary phase for capillary gas chromatography

In this work, an innovative ionic liquid functionalized star-shaped polymer is synthesized by coupling star-polycaprolactone with benzimidazolium (star-PCL-Bim), and statically coated into a capillary column for gas chromatographic (GC) separations. The fabricated star-PCL-Bim capillary column with moderate-polar nature reveals a high column efficiency of 3598 plates/m for n-dodecane at 120 °C, and advantageous distinguishing ability ( R > 1.5) for 9 aromatic isomer mixtures and 12 cis-/ trans -isomers. Its excellent resolving capacity can be credited to the architecture of star-PCL-Bim, the PCL arms, and π-electron-rich benzimidazolium cations, and it results in a quite different retention behavior of star-PCL-Bim from that of star-PCL and commercial HP-35 columns, with “dual-nature” selectivity in separating a mixture including 29 compounds. These favorable chromatographic characteristics demonstrate the great application potential of this material in GC, and provide a prospective strategy to obtain high-performance stationary phases.

Stable isotope analysis of atmospheric CO2 using a Gasbench II-Cold Trap-IRMS setting.

The measurement of the stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratio of (atmospheric) carbon dioxide (CO2 ) is a useful technique for the investigation and identification of the sources and sinks of the most abundant greenhouse gases by far. For this reason, we are presenting a measuring system here that enables a wide range of users to carry out stable isotope analysis of atmospheric CO2 using off-the-bench hardware and software. The fully automated system uses cryogenic and gas chromatographic separation to analyse CO2 from 12-mL whole air samples and consists of an autosampler, a Gasbench II (GB), a downstream cryo trap and a continuous flow gas interface feeding into a sector field mass spectrometer (GC Pal/GB/Cold Trap/ConFlo IV/DeltaV Plus). The evaluation of the system performance was based on the analysis of samples prepared from eight CO2 sources (four CO2 reference gases and four artificial air tanks). The overall measurement uncertainty (averaged single standard deviation (1σ) of measurement replicates from each CO2 source) in the determination of the carbon and oxygen isotope ratio was 0.04‰ and 0.09‰ (n = 24). Furthermore, we were able to show that the measurement data also allowed for the quantification of the CO2 mole fraction, with a precision of 1.2μmol mol-1 in the analysis range of 400-500 μmol mol-1 . Our protocol provides a detailed description of the measurement set-up and the analysis procedure, how raw data should be evaluated and gives recommendations for sample preparation and sampling to enable a fully automated whole air sample analysis. The quantification limit of CO2 mole fractions and measurement precision for carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of CO2 should meet the requirements of a wide range of users.