Multidimensional Chromatographic Techniques for Monitoring and Characterization of Environmental Samples

Oral Presentation

Prepared by E. Mateus1, A. Ribeiro1, M. da Silva2, P. Marriott3
1 - New University of Lisbon-FCT, New University of Lisbon-FCT/DCEA, Campus caparica, Caparica, 2829-516 Capari, Portugal
2 - REQUIMTE-DQ, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Caparica, , Portugal
3 - Monash University, Centre for Green Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Melbourne, , Australia


Contact Information: [email protected]; 351-212-9483


ABSTRACT

There is a growing resurgence of multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC). This is either due to the emergence of comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) in the last decade, as a solid technique and to the recent introduction, by many GC instrument companies, of new devices capable of delivering MDGC with high accuracy (e.g. new Deans switch devices and modulators), supported by hardware and software development. This resurgence has been driven by the search of improved separation performance for analytes in complex samples. MDGC allows separation of complex mixtures by using multiple columns with orthogonally different stationary phases, enabling the separation of complex mixtures that cannot be separated using a single column. The heart-cut method (peak cutting and the selective transfer of peaks or chromatogram sections onto a second column) and the continuous two-dimensional chromatography (comprehensive chromatography) are the common used techniques in MDGC. Multidimensional GC may also be extended to become a preparative technique based on capillary columns, allowing separation and enrichment of components from complex samples for identification and monitoring purposes. The increased resolution and sensitivity achieved is an advantage, which would be beneficial for environmental complex samples (e.g. atmospheric particles, water, wastewater and soils), and trace analysis.