Document Type Master's Dissertation Author Welthagen, Werner URN etd-02082006-151801 Document Title The optimisation of GC x GC and the analysis of diesel petrochemical samples Degree MSc (Chemistry) Department Chemistry Supervisor
Advisor Name Title Prof E R Rohwer Keywords
- no key words available
Date 2005-10-08 Availability unrestricted Abstract Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) is a new technique with a promising future in analytical chemistry. Researchers have already shown the advantages of this technique to unravel complex samples consisting of hundreds of compounds. The predominantadvantage of GC x GC above conventional one-dimensional gas chromatography is the greatly
enhanced peak capacity. To fully utilise this enhanced peak capacity the instrumentation needs to
be run at optimum conditions. The optimisation of one-dimensional gas chromatography (GC) is
done on a routine basis in analytical laboratories and handbooks are available to cover these
optimisation strategies. This study was aimed at providing similar guidelines for GC x GC. Since
the underlying theory of GC and GC x GC are essentially the same, conventional GC optimisation
strategies were the point of departure for this research. The different operational parameters in GC
x GC were identified and emphasis was then placed on a method to simultaneously optimise the flow
rate in both columns, taking into consideration the common practice of series-coupling of columns
of different internal diameters. The influence of second-dimension stationary phase, temperature
program and modulator operation on the distribution and shape of chromatographic peaks in the two
dimensions is also investigated. The results obtained from this study provide a useful new approach
to optimise a GC x GC system where two gas chromatographic columns of various dimensions are
connected in series. The use of diesel samples in this optimisation process presented some useful
applications for future research in the petrochemical industry. Examples of potential applications
such as “fingerprinting techniques” and compositional analysis are also discussed.
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