Instruments of Gas Chromatography
The instrument that performs gas chromatography is called Gas Chromatograph. The components of gas chromatograph are mentioned below:
- Column: It is a coiled tube made of metal or glass material that can withstand high temperatures. The column is filled with a stationary phase, which separates the components in the sample.
- Sample injection system: A system that vaporizes and injects the sample into the carrier gas stream.
- Detector: A device that measures the quantity of the components that exit the column.
- Temperature control: A system that maintains a constant temperature throughout the column to ensure consistent separation of the components.
- Flow rate control: A system that adjusts the flow rate of the carrier gas to maintain a constant gas flow through the column.
- Data processing system: A computer system that processes the data from the detector and displays the chromatogram, a graph of the detector response versus time.
Gas Chromatography Diagram
Carrier Gas and Stationary Phase
A high-pressure gas cylinder containing an inert gas, such as helium or nitrogen, which is used to transport the sample through the column. Helium is preferred for thermal conductivity detectors due to its high thermal conductivity. Stationary phase is a non-volatile liquid or solid that interacts with the sample components, causing them to partition between the stationary and mobile phases.
Gas Chromatography
Gas Chromatography (GC) is a technique used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing volatile compounds in a mixture. This technique uses a mobile phase to carry the sample through the stationary phase. The compounds interact with the stationary phase at different rates, resulting in distinct retention times and separation of the components. Mikhail Semenovich Tsvett discovered it in the early 1900s to separate compounds. It can analyze volatile mixtures in human breath, blood, saliva, and air samples.
In this article, we look into what gas chromatography is, its definition, principle, separation mechanism, types, etc.
Table of Content
- What is Gas Chromatography?
- Instruments of Gas Chromatography
- Principles of Gas Chromatography
- Process of Gas Chromatography
- Types of gas chromatography
- Applications of Gas Chromatography