products designed to solve nagging gc problems · 2016. 9. 4. · column: agilent j&w hp-5ms ui...

Page 1

Products Designed to Solve

Nagging GC Problems

Daron Decker

Chromatography Technical Specialist

Contaminated Gas Fouls the Whole GC

Dirty Lines, Inlet, Column, Detector

More Frequent Maintenance

More Down Time

Replacements Cost Money

Solution = Use only Clean Gas!

Page 2

Gas Clean Filters – The Insurance Policy

Page 3

Gas-Clean Filters Design

Sensitive indicators for moisture

and oxygen

Short filter equilibration time

Fast, leak-free filter replacement

• without turning off the gas

• NO tools needed

Page 4

Oxygen Damages GC columns

Repair of the GC column is impossible

Replacements means re-calibration

Replacement means delay

Replacement column costs money

Solution = No Leaks!

Page 5

Leak Test

- MS – Air/Water

- Leak Detector (G3188B)

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• Portable, handheld unit – only 105g

• USB cable for recharging

• Audible and visual alerts for 12 gases

• Minimum detection limit of 0.0005 mL/minute for hydrogen and helium

• Rechargeable lithium ion battery with over 5 hours of life

Ferrule Pre-swaging & MS Interface Installation Tools

• Ensures proper length of column into the fittings, every time

• For graphite or metal ferrules

Metal ferrule tool Graphite ferrule tool

G3440-80218 G3440-80217

Page 7

What if you …

Could install the column easily

Finger tighten, without tools that cause over tightening

And make leak free connections

Which don’t need to be retightened

Every time?

Page 8

Self-Tightening Column Nuts

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Video at agilent.com/chem/STnutvideo

• Less wasted time: No retightening

needed after repeated thermal cycles

• Ease of use: Finger-tight,

consistent connections without tools

• Leak Free = Lower column bleed:

Longer column life

Innovative spring-driven piston continuously presses against ferrule

Self Tightening Column Nuts

Page 10

For mass spec transfer line

p/n 5190-5233

For inlet or detector

p/n 5190-6194

Self-Tightening Column Nuts

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Peak Tailing – What causes this?

1. ACTIVITY either in inlet or column

-Reversible adsorption of active compounds

(-OH, -NH, -SH)

2. FLOW PATH PROBLEM - dead volume, obstruction, poor installation, or severe column contamination

Miscellaneous – temperature issues for late eluters, overloading of PLOT columns, co-elution, polarity mismatch between phase, solute or solvent, and some compounds always tail

*Tip = Inject a light hydrocarbon, should not tail unless flow path problem.

Symptom – Tailing of Active Compounds 1. n-Nitrosodimethylamine 2. Aniline 3. 1,4-Dichlorobenzene-d4 4. Benzoic Acid 5. Naphthalene-d8 6. Acenaphthene-d10 7. 2,4-Dinitrophenol 8. 4-Nitrophenol 9. 2-Me-4,6-dinitrophenol 10. 4-Aminobiphenyl 11. Pentachlorophenol 12. Phenanthrene-d10 13. Benzidine 14. Chrysene-d12 15. 3,3’-Dichlorobenzidine 16. Benzo[b]fluoranthene 17. Benzo[k]fluoranthene 18. Perylene-d12

Sample: 0.5 ng on column loading with ISTD

Column: 20m 0.18mm 0.18µm

Carrier: Helium 37cm/sec, Ramped flow; 0.7ml/min (0.1min) to 1.3ml/min (15ml/min2)

Oven: 35oC (2.5 min) to 80oC (40oC/min), 15oC/min to 200oC, 8oC/min to 275oC (2 min)

Injection: 0.5µl, Splitless, 280oC, purge flow 30ml/min at 0.75 min

MSD: Transfer Line 290oC, Source 300oC, Quad 180oC

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Solution – Ultra Inert GC Column 1. n-Nitrosodimethylamine 2. Aniline 3. 1,4-Dichlorobenzene-d4 4. Benzoic Acid 5. Naphthalene-d8 6. Acenaphthene-d10 7. 2,4-Dinitrophenol 8. 4-Nitrophenol 9. 2-Me-4,6-dinitrophenol 10. 4-Aminobiphenyl 11. Pentachlorophenol 12. Phenanthrene-d10 13. Benzidine 14. Chrysene-d12 15. 3,3’-Dichlorobenzidine 16. Benzo[b]fluoranthene 17. Benzo[k]fluoranthene 18. Perylene-d12

Sample: 0.5 ng on column loading with ISTD

Column: 20m 0.18mm 0.18µm

Carrier: Helium 37cm/sec, Ramped flow; 0.7ml/min (0.1min) to 1.3ml/min (15ml/min2)

Oven: 35oC (2.5 min) to 80oC (40oC/min), 15oC/min to 200oC, 8oC/min to 275oC (2 min)

Injection: 0.5µl, Splitless, 280oC, purge flow 30ml/min at 0.75 min

MSD: Transfer Line 290oC, Source 300oC, Quad 180oC

2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00

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AND Ultra Inert Liners

Touchless packaging

Easy installation of new, clean liner

without risk of contamination from touching

Includes non-stick plasma treated O-ring

Page 15

Agilent UI Gold Seal: Deactivated Gold Surface

• Soft gold plating is essential for proper sealing

• Ultra Inert chemistry blocks active sites

(gold is NOT inert)

• Smooth surface doesn't leak

Agilent MIM seal Competitor’s

machined seal

Reliable ppb and ppt

measurements require

attention to the little things!

Page 16

Page 17

Use the Highest Quality Consumables in

“Touchless” Packaging

You May Even Need the Agilent Inert Inlet

UltiMetal Plus treatment creates inert surface 7890 inlet weldment & shell

• Limits adsorption/degradation of active analytes

• Optimum for Trace GC/MS and GC-ECD

pesticide analyses

Agilent’s proven

proprietary Ultimetal

Plus surface

treatment

Page 18

Putting It All Together –

Inert Flow Path vs. Standard Flow Path

20.20 20.40 20.60 20.80 21.00 21.20 21.40 21.60

10000

20000

26000

Green = Inert Flow Path

Blue = Standard Flow Path

Column: Agilent J&W HP-5ms UI 30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 um

Oven: 100C 4 min hold, 10/min to 280C, 6 /min to 300C (4.67 min hold),

Carrier : Helium 52.7 cm/s (2 mL/min) set at 100C, EPC-Constant Flow

Inlet: Pulsed Splitless 35 PSI pulse until 0.73 min, 0.75 min purge 50 ml/min, gas saver 20, ml/min at 2 min

Inlet liner: Ultra Inert with wool / Standard single taper liner with wool (p/n 5190-3165)

Gold Seal: UI Gold Seal / Standard gold seal

Detector: MSD Scan mode 40 t0 450 m/z, 230 C source temp, 150 C Quad temp, 310 C transfer line

1

2

3

4

5

1. Dronabinol

2. Oxycodone

3. Temazepam

4. Flunitrazepam

5. Diacetyl morphine

Drugs of Abuse 250 ppb using HP-5ms UI

Page 19

Broad Peaks – Why?

Page 20

INJECTOR -Poor Installation -Change in injection solvent -Change in settings (temps/flows) -Poor sample focusing -Large change in sample concentration -Breakdown or adsorption FLOW -Change in gas velocity -Constant Flow vs Constant Pressure COLUMN -Contamination -Damaged/old stationary phase -Breakdown or adsorption -Reverse Solvent Effect

Splitless Injection Reverse Solvent Effect

DB-1, 15 m x 0.25 mm I.D., 0.25 µm

50°C for 1 min, 50-210°C at 20°/min; Helium at 30 cm/sec

1. 1,3-DCP 2. 3-hexanol 3. butyl acetate 4. 1-heptanol 5. 3-octanone 6. 1,2-dichlorobenzene

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Time (min.)

1 2 3 4 5 6

Time (min.)

Hexane Methanol

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5 6

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5 6

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Retention Gap Also Called A Guard Column

Usually 2-10 meters long and same diameter as the column

(or larger if needed)

Injector Detector

Deactivated Fused Silica Tubing

Union Column

Page 22

Fixing the Reverse Solvent Effect 3 m x 0.25 mm I.D. Retention Gap

DB-1, 15 m x 0.25 mm I.D., 0.25 µm

50°C for 1 min, 50-210°C at 20°/min; Helium at 30 cm/sec

1. 1,3-DCP 2. 3-hexanol 3. butyl acetate 4. 1-heptanol 5. 3-octanone 6. 1,2-dichlorobenzene

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Time (min.)

Hexane

1 2 3 4 5 6

Time (min.)

Methanol 1

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5 6

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Agilent Ultra Inert Press Fit

Press Fit Connectors

Inertness, seal and transparency are key parameters

Competitor Press-Tight

Page 24

Maximum Force Required to “pull apart”

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

1 2 3 4

Po

un

ds (

forc

e)

Pull Value, 0.25 mm I.D. Columns

Ultra Inert Quartz Fused Silica Glass

Press Fit Connector Type

Page 25

Strong bond between FS polyimide

&

press fit UI deactivation layer

Ultimate Union and Retention Gap

(Preferred by Many)

Page 27

Two Connection Options from Agilent

Ultra Inert Press Fit Connectors Capillary Flow Technology

Page 29

Peak Response All Change in Size

DETECTOR (response problem)

-Settings or flows changed

-Electronics failing

-Contamination

-Split ratio set incorrectly

-Wrong purge activation time

-Septum purge flow too high

-Injector temperature too low*

INJECTOR

-Leaky syringe

*Tip = Ask is it all of them or some of them, if all then injector or detector

Traditional PDMS column- Coating of Reactor Tubes

Overlay of before (green) and after 2 x 2 uL neat toluene Injection (red)

1. Hydrogen Sulfide

2. Carbonyl Sulfide

3. Methyl Mercaptan

4. Ethyl Mercaptan

1 2 3

FID: No response changes

4 3

4

SCD:

10% drop in

sensitivity

Data courtesy of Jim Luong, Ronda Gras, Myron Hawryluk of Dow Chemical Canada

Page 30

Configuration to test SCD Quenching Issue

Inlet

Pulsed SCD

FID

4:5

Thick film PDMS type Column

325 torr

710 torr

CFT splitter

1:5

Data courtesy of Jim Luong, Ronda Gras, Myron Hawryluk of Dow Chemical Canada

Page 31

Solution = New DB-Sulfur SCD column

Last Three Runs of the day (n=20, 100 ppmv std)

250C Cool down

1. H2S

2. COS

3. CH3SH

4. C2H5SH

1

2 3

4

FID

SCD

40C 3

4

Data courtesy of Jim Luong, Ronda Gras, Myron Hawryluk of Dow Chemical Canada

Page 32

Long Term SCD Performance with DB-Sulfur SCD

500000

550000

600000

650000

700000

750000

800000

850000

900000

950000

1000000

1 2 3 4 5

H2S

COS

Methyl Mercaptan

No observable

SCD sensitivity

change in

subsequent runs

Months!

Are

a C

ou

nts

Data courtesy of Jim Luong, Ronda Gras, Myron Hawryluk of Dow Chemical Canada

Page 33

Used to do SCD maintenance every 3 weeks!

Page 34

Spiking Baseline

DETECTOR

-Particles entering the detector

-Random: poor connection

-Regular: nearby "cycling" equipment (electronics)

Integrated Particle Trap PLOT Column

2.5 meter integrated particle traps on both ends

Compatible with GC/MS and valve switching systems,

and Capillary Flow Technology

Very similar selectivity, plates and peak shape to

existing Agilent PLOT columns

PLOT

Page 35

The PLOT Column and Integrated Particle Trap

Page 36

No spikes at Fixed Gases Analysis

on CP-Molsieve 5Å PLOT PT column

CP-Molsieve 5Å, 25m×0.53mm,50um

(30m total length)

Carrier : H2, 3mL/min

Oven: : 80°C isothermal

Injection: 70°C, split ratio 5:1

Detector: TCD, 250 ℃

Sample: 100uL

Page 37

Halocarbons by GCMS Column: PoraPLOT Q PT, 25m×0.32mm,10um (P/N CP7551PT)

(30m total length)

Carrier : Helium, 42cm/s @55 ℃

Oven: : 55 °C for 5min

55 °C - 200 °C at 12°C/min

200 °C for 10min

Injection: 250 ℃, splitless, 0.2min purge activation time

Detector: MSD, 280 ℃ Transfer line, full Scan at m/z 45-185

Sample: 1uL

1. Fluoroform (Freon-23)

2. 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (Freon-143a)

3. Pentafluoroethane (Freon-125)

4. Bromotrifluoromethane (Freon-13b1)

5. 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (Freon-134a)

6. 1,1-difluoroethane (Freon-152a)

7. Difluorochloromethane (Freon-22)

8. 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (Freon-134)

9. 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane (Freon-142)

10. Bromochlorodifluoromethane (Freon-12b1)

11. Ethyl Chloride (Freon-160)

12. Fluorodichloromethane (Freon-21)

13. Trichloromonofluoromethane (Freon-11)

14. 1,1-Dichloro-1-fluoroethane (Freon-141)

15. 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane (Freon-123)

16. 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane (Freon-113)

17. 1,2-dibromo-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (Freon-114b2)

18. Trichloromethane (Freon-20)

19. 1,2-dichloroethane

20. 1,1,1-trichloro-ethane

21. Trichloroethylene

22. 1,1,2-trichloroethane

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Page 38

Agilent J&W

PLOT PT Columns Available PLOT PT columns:

•Porous polymers: – PoraPLOT Q

– PoraBOND Q

– PoraBOND Q HT

– HP-PLOT Q

– GS-Q

– PoraPLOT U

– HP-PLOT U

•NEW! Aluminum oxide – HP-PLOT Al2O3 S

– HP-PLOT Al2O3 M

– HP-PLOT Al2O3 KCl

– GS-Alumina

– GS-Alumina/KCl

– CP-Al2O3 KCl

– CP-Al2O3 Na2SO4

•NEW! Molsieve – CP-Molsieve 5A

Custom PLOT PT columns are

available for these phases

Phase type Part number Description DimensionsCP7348PT PoraBOND Q PT 25m x 0.25mm x 3µm

CP7351PT PoraBOND Q PT 25m x 0.32mm x 5µm

CP7352PT PoraBOND Q PT 50m x 0.32mm x 5µm

CP7353PT PoraBOND Q PT 10m x 0.53mm x 10µm

CP7354PT PoraBOND Q PT 25m x 0.53mm x 10µm

CP7550PT PoraPLOT Q PT 10m x 0.32mm x 10µm

CP7551PT PoraPLOT Q PT 25m x 0.32mm x 10µm

CP7554PT PoraPLOT Q PT 25m x 0.53mm x 20µm

CP7557PT PoraPLOT Q-HT PT 25m x 0.32mm x 10µm

115-3432PT GS-Q PT 30m x 0.53mm

19091P-QO3PT HP-PLOT Q PT 15m x 0.32mm x 20µm

19091P-QO4PT HP-PLOT Q PT 30m x 0.32mm x 20µm

19095P-QO3PT HP-PLOT Q PT 15m x 0.53mm x 40µm

19095P-QO4PT HP-PLOT Q PT 30m x 0.53mm x 40µm

CP7584PT PoraPLOT U PT 25m x 0.53mm x 20µm

19095P-UO4PT HP-PLOT U PT 30m x 0.53mm x 20µm

CP7515PT CP-Al2O3/KCl PT 50m x 0.32mm x 5µm

CP7517PT CP-Al2O3/KCl PT 25m x 0.53mm x 10µm

CP7518PT CP-Al2O3/KCl PT 50m x 0.53mm x 10µm

19091P-K15PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 KCl PT 50m x 0.32mm x 8µm

19095P-K23PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 KCl PT 30m x 0.53mm x 15µm

19095P-K25PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 KCl PT 50m x 0.53mm x 15µm

115-3352PT GS-Alumina/KCl PT 50m x 0.53mm

CP7565PT CP-Al2O3/Na2SO4 PT 50m x 0.32mm x 5µm

CP7568PT CP-Al2O3/Na2SO4 PT 50m x 0.53mm x 10µm

19091P-S12PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 S PT 25m x 0.32mm x 8µm

19091P-S15PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 S PT 50m x 0.32mm x 8µm

19095P-S23PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 S PT 30m x 0.53mm x 15µm

19095P-S25PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 S PT 50m x 0.53mm x 15µm

115-3532PT GS-Alumina PT 30m x 0.53mm

115-3552PT GS-Alumina PT 50m x 0.53mm

19095P-M25PT HP-PLOT Al2O3 M PT 50m x 0.53mm x 15µm

CP7534PT CP-Molsieve 5A PT 30m x 0.32mm x 10µm

CP7536PT CP-Molsieve 5A PT 25m x 0.32mm x 30µm

CP7538PT CP-Molsieve 5A PT 25m x 0.53mm x 50µm

CP7539PT CP-Molsieve 5A PT 50m x 0.53mm x 50µm

Molsieve

Al2O3 Na2SO4

deactivated

Al2O3 with

proprietary

deactivation

PLOT Q

PLOT U

Al2O3 KCl

deactivated

Page 39

The BIGGEST Problem in GC is…

There are more things that DON’T go through a GC than DO!

….therefore, don’t inject anything and you’ll never have

problems.

OK, inject, but realize that everything just got dirty…deal with it!

Page 40

Where Does it Get Dirty?

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here

Page 41

What Are You Doing!?

Page 42

It’s in the Inlet!

Do Inlet Maintenance

- Trim the Column

- Replace the Liner

- Replace the Gold Seal

- Replace the Syringe

- Replace the Split Vent Trap, Split Vent Line

- Rinse the Inlet

Start as clean and inert as possible

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Page 44

Conclusions for a Problem Free GC

Start With Ultra Inert/High Quality Consumables

Never Have a Leak (no oxygen)

Use Gas Clean Filters

Never Inject Anything (dirty or reactive)

Don’t Touch Anything

Do Routine Inlet Maintenance Often

Page 45

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

1-800-227-9770, #3

E-mail: gc_column_support@agilent.com

Troubleshooting Resources

Online Troubleshooting and Maintenance Videos

http://www.chem.agilent.com/en-US/Technical-Support/Instruments-Systems/Gas-

Chromatography/Pages/troubleshootingvideos.aspx

GC Troubleshooting Guide

http://www.chem.agilent.com/en-US/Products-Services/Instruments-Systems/Gas-

Chromatography/pages/gp6770.aspx

Method Translation Software

http://www.chem.agilent.com/en-US/Technical-Support/Instruments-Systems/Gas-

Chromatography/utilities/Pages/gcmethodtranslation.aspx

Page 46

Agilent Better GC Connections

www.agilent.com/chem/betterGCconnections

Order the poster… View the video…