High speed Deans switch for low duty cycle comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

A new high-speed valve-based modulator has been designed and tested for use in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC). The modulator is a Deans switch constructed from two micro-volume fittings and a solenoid valve. Modulator performance was characterized over a wide range of device settings including the magnitude of the switching flow, the gap between the tips of the primary and secondary column, the primary column flow rate, and the carrier gas identity.

Stationary phase selection and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic analysis of trace biodiesel in petroleum-based fuel.

The GC×GC solvation parameter model has been used to identify effective stationary phases for the separation of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) from petroleum hydrocarbons. This simple mathematical model was used to screen the 1225 different combinations of 50 stationary phases. The most promising pairs combined a poly(methyltrifluoropropylsiloxane) stationary phase with a poly(dimethyldiphenylsiloxane) stationary phase.