Multi-dimensional gas chromatography

Particularly, for the separation of complex mixtures, GCxGC showed far greater resolution and a significant boost in signal to noise, with no increase in analysis times. Further, the hyphenation of GCxGC with MS detection providing three independent analytical dimensions made this technique ideal for the measurement of organic components within complex samples such as those 

The great advantage of the combination of multiple chromatographic separation steps is the increase in peak capacity. Peak capacity is the maximum number of peaks that can be resolved in a given retention time frame. The more peaks a combination of techniques is able to resolve, the more complex samples can be analysed. When a sample is separated using two dissimilar columns, the maximum peak capacity will be the product of the individual columns peak capacity 1 . 

For example, if each separation mode generates peak capacities of 1100 in the first dimension and 30 in the second, the theoretical peak capacity of the 2D experiment will be 33 000, a huge gain in separation space, which would theoretically compare to the separation power of a 12000 m column in the normal single-dimension analysis. To achieve this gain, however, the two techniques should be totally orthogonal, that is, based upon completely different separation mechanisms. 

Comparison of peak capacities in normal, heart-cut and comprehensive two- 

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Huber, J.F.K., Kenndler, E., Reich, G. (1979). Quantification of the information content of multi-dimensional gas chromatography and low resolution mass spectrometry in the identification of doping drugs. J. Chromatogr. 172, 15-30. 

The Perkin-Elmer 8700, in addition to the features of the models 8400 and 8500, has the ability to perform multi-dimensional gas chromatography. 

E. Guichard, A. Kustermann and A. Mosandl, Chiral flavour compounds from apricots. Distribution of y-lactones enantiomers and stereodifferentiation of dihydroactinidiolide using multi-dimensional gas chromatography , J. Chromatogr. 498 396-401 (1990). 

As chromatography is the most efficient separation method which can be applied to these samples, it has been shown that the on-line coupling of such columns can successfully apply to water analysis [ 35 ]. This method is derived from the multi-dimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) technique. Double oven instruments were recently developed which are specifically dedicated to this type of MDGC analysis [36]. 

The ideal detector is universal yet selective, sensitive and structurally informative. Mass spectrometry (MS) currently provides the closest approach to this ideal. The combination of multi-dimensional gas chromatography with high resolution MS or mass-selective detectors in the single ion monitoring (SIM)-mode is currently the most potent analytical tool in enantioselective analysis of chiral compounds in complex mixtures [29]. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that the application of structure specific detection systems like MS [51] or Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) [52] cannot save the fundamental challenges to optimum (chiral) resolutions and effective sample clean-up [53]. 

B. Faber, A. Dietrich and A. Mosandl. Chiral compounds of essential oils. Part XV. Stereodifferentiation of characteristic compounds of Mentha species by multi-dimensional gas chromatography. J. Chromatogr., 666. 161-165 (1994). 

Ljungkuist, G., Larstad, M., and Mathiasson, L., Determination of low concentrations of benzene in urine using multi-dimensional gas chromatography. Analyst, 126, 41-45, 2001. 

Paraffin, Naphthene, and Aromatic Hydrocarbon Type Analysis in Petroleum Distillates Through 200 C by Multi-Dimensional Gas Chromatography ... 

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