Second-Dimension Temperature Programming System for Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography. Part 1: Precise Temperature Control Based on Column Electrical Resistance

A second-dimension temperature programmingsystem ((DTPS)-D-2) for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography(GC xGC) is introduced, and its performance is characterized. In the system,a commercial stainless-steel capillary column was used for the separation,as a heating element, and as a temperature sensor. The second dimension(D-2) column was resistively heated and controlled usingan Arduino Uno R3 microcontroller. Temperature measurement was accomplishedby measuring the overall D-2 column's electricalresistance. A diesel sample was used to compare the (2)Dpeak capacity ((2) n (c)) and resolution((2) R (s)), while a perfume samplewas used to compare the reproducibility of the system for within-day(n = 5) and day-to-day (n = 5) results.The (2) n (c) improved by 52% withthe (DTPS)-D-2 compared to the secondary oven. The GC xGC system utilizing the (DTPS)-D-2 had an average within-dayand day-to-day relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.02 and 0.12%for the D-1 retention time ((1) t (R)), 0.56 and 0.58% for the D-2 retention time((2) t (R)), and 1.18 and 1.53% forthe peak area, respectively.

Automated summary

A second-dimension temperature programming system (DTPS-D-2) for GC xGC was introduced and characterized. The system utilized a stainless-steel capillary column as the heating element and sensor, and an Arduino Uno R3 microcontroller for control. Comparisons were made with a diesel sample for (2) n (c) and (2) R (s), and with a perfume sample for within-day and day-to-day reproducibility. The (2) n (c) was improved by 52% with the (DTPS)-D-2 compared to the secondary oven. The GC xGC system utilizing the (DTPS)-D-2 exhibited low RSD for retention times and peak area.