Chromatography is a laboratory technique used to separate and analyze different substances in a mixture.
Gas Chromatography (GC) is a laboratory technique used to separate and analyze volatile compounds in a mixture. Here’s an overview of the instruments involved and how they work:
The sample is first vaporized and then injected into the GC instrument using an injector.
The sample then moves through a long, narrow column filled with a stationary phase, which separates the components of the mixture based on their boiling points or vapor pressures.
The mobile phase, usually an inert gas such as helium or nitrogen, carries the vaporized sample through the column.
After separation, the individual components are detected by a detector, which measures the quantity of each component. Common detectors used in GC include:
Measures the ionization of the components by a hydrogen flame and produces an electrical signal.
Ionizes the components and measures their masses to determine their identity.
Measures the ionization of the components by a hydrogen flame and produces an electrical signal.
The signals from the detector are then processed by a data system, which converts them into a chromatogram, a graph showing the detector response over time.
