Quantification of 23 Volatile Organic Compounds with a Single Reference Material Using Post-column Reaction Gas Chromatography Combined with a Stainless-steel Heating Furnace

We built a heating furnace using stainless-steel instead of aluminum in gas chromatography combined with an oxidation/ reduction system; it increased the oxidation temperature to 650 degrees C. At 600 degrees C, it completely oxidized five organochlorine compounds. This system was applied to a standard solution of 23 volatile organic compounds. The analytical results of 20 hydrocarbon and organochlorine compounds showed good agreement with the expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of the reference values. Three organobromine compounds obtained values higher than the reference; this was investigated further.

Automated summary

The use of a stainless-steel heating furnace in gas chromatography increased oxidation temperature to 650 degrees C, successfully oxidizing five organochlorine compounds. Analytical results of 20 hydrocarbon and organochlorine compounds showed good agreement with reference values, although further investigation was needed for three organobromine compounds with higher values.