Increased Reproducibility in the Analysis of EU and EPA PAH’s with the Agilent Select PAH GC Column and Metal Microfluidic Guard Chip Technology by Gas Chromatography (poster)

New Focus on Old Contaminants (e.g., lead, mercury, PCBs)
Poster Presentation

Presented by A. Smith Henry
Prepared by V. Abercrombie1, A. Smith Henry2, G. Serrano-Izaguirre1, P. Stremple1, D. Decker1
1 - Agilent Technologies, 91 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom, CA, 95630, United States
2 - Agilent Technologies, 2850 Centerville Rd, Wilmington, DE, 19808, United States


Contact Information: vanessa.abercrombie@agilent.com; 916-351-7562


ABSTRACT

The analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) required by the European Union (EU) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contains a combined list of 24 compounds, and can be chromatographically challenging. The separation of the combined 24 compounds, plus the addition of triphenylene, is demonstrated using the Agilent Select PAH GC column, on the Agilent 7890 GC as well as the Intuvo 9000 GC. Even with sample preparation, frequent maintenance, is needed to maintain peak shape, sensitivity, and overall performance. Commonly, techniques such as clipping a small portion of the front end of the column are used, but these traditional methods cause downtime and require updating retention times. The Intuvo 9000 uses enabling Metal Microfluidic Technology in the form of an easily replaceable guard chip, instead of a traditional guard column, due to its identical pathlength it allows for consistent retention times after replacement. The use of the Intuvo 9000 with the Select PAH GC column and the Ultra Inert Flow Path decreases injection variability due to active compounds, facilitates the system cleanliness, and allows for more productive uptime.