Course title: Advanced Pharmaceutical Analysis-II

Course code: BPH – 4013

Submission date: 28.07.21

Submitted to, Submitted by,

Arif Rafid Name: Rajia Sultana
Lecturer ID: 2018000300099
Department of Pharmacy Batch: 31
Southeast University Section: C

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 Gas Chromatography

What is gas chromatography?

Gas chromatography (GC) is one of the most popular chromatography techniques to separate
volatile compounds or substances. The mobile phase is a gas (e.g.helium), and the stationary
phase is a high-boiling liquid which is adsorbed on a solid. Because of its simplicity, excessive
sensitivity, and the ability to successfully separate mixtures, gas chromatography has end up one
of the most significant tools in chemistry.

 Gas chromatography differs from different varieties of chromatography in that the

mobile phase is a gas and the additives are separated as vapors.
 It is for this reason used to split and detect small molecular weight compounds in the gas
phase.
 The sample is both a gas and a liquid that is vaporized in the injection port. The mobile
phase is a carrier gas for gas chromatography, normally helium due to its low molecular
weight and being chemically inert.
 The pressure is applied and the mobile phase moves the analyte via the column. The
separation is performed the use of a column covered with a stationary phase.

Principles of Separation by Gas Chromatography

Here, we’re going to look at separation by GC occurs within the column:

 The sample containing multiple compounds is injected into the column collectively with
the mobile phase. (In GC, the mobile phase is a gas, also called the carrier gas. He is
frequently used.) Both the sample and the mobile phase journey via the column, however
the rate of progression within the column differs depending on the compound. According
to differences arise in the times at which the respective compounds arrive on the column
outlet. As a result, a separation among every compound occurs.

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  The row of peaks drawn when the electrical signals output from the GC detector are
plotted on the vertical axis and the elapsed time after sample injection is plotted on the
horizontal axis is called a chromatogram.

 The components passing through the column are transported by the mobile phase (gas
phase) while being partitioned from and adsorbed into the stationary phase (liquid phase
and solid phase).

A typical chromatogram is shown below the graph. The horizontal axis indicates the time until
the component reaches the detector. The vertical axis indicates the signal intensity. The part at
which not anything is detected is called the baseline, and the element where a component is
detected is called a peak.
The time from when the sample is injected into the system until the peaks seem is called the
retention time. As the elution times for every component differ, every component can be
separated and detected.

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Instrument Overview

Gas chromatography is mainly composed of the following parts:

 Carrier gas,
 autosampler,
 inlet,
 analytical column,
 Detector and PC.

Detectors used in gas Chromatography:

Solutes interact with the detector when they elute from the column. This interaction is converted
into an electronic signal by the detector, which is then supplied to the data system. A
chromatography is created by plotting the signals amplitude against time (starting from the
injection port time).Some detectors react to any solute eluting from the column, whereas others
only react to solutes with specified structures, functional groups or atoms. Selective detectors are
those that respond better to specific types of solute. The detectors that can be used with
Shimadzu gas chromatographs. They are widely divided into general-purpose detectors and
selective, high-sensitivity detectors. Let’s talk about in this application-

 General-Purpose Detectors: General-purpose detectors can analyze an extensive

range of compounds. There are three types of general-purpose detectors-

1. Flame Ionization Detectors (FID)

The FID is the maximum broadly used detector in gas chromatography. The FID is
sensitive and able to detecting, compounds that contain carbon atoms (C), which
accounts for almost all organic compounds.

Applications: Analysis of organic compound

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2. Thermal Conductivity Detectors (TCD)

The TCD can detect all compounds other than the carrier gas. The TCD is specially used to
detect inorganic gas and components that the FID is not always sensitive to. Helium is typically
used as a carrier gas. (N2 and Ar are used to analyze He and H2.)

Applications:

 Water, formaldehyde, formic acid etc

 Compounds are not analyzed detectable by the FID

3. Barrier Discharge Ionization Detectors (BID): The BID is Shimadzu’s

proprietary detector that can detect all inorganic and organic compounds other than
He and Ne.
Applications:
 Analysis of organic compound
 Trace gas analysis

 Selective, High-Sensitivity Detectors: Selective, high-sensitivity detectors

are most effective able to detecting particular types of compounds selectively and with
high sensitivity. There are four types of selective, high-sensitivity detectors-

1. Electron Capture Detectors (ECD)

The ECD is a selective, high-sensitivity detector for electrophilic compounds. The

ECD is able to detecting organic halogen compounds, organic metal compounds,
diketone compounds, etc.
Applications:
 Analysis of environmental
 Residual Chlorinated pesticides and residual PCBs
 Chlorinated VOCs in discharge water
 Environmental organic mercury
2. Flame Thermionic Detectors (FTD)

The FTD is a selective, high-sensitivity detector for organic nitrogen compounds

and inorganic and organic phosphorus compounds. (The selectivity of the FTD for
phosphorus compounds is not always as exact because the FPD.) The FTD does not
react to inorganic nitrogen compounds.
Applications:
 Drug analysis
 Analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus pesticides

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3. Flame Photometric Detectors (FPD)

The FPD is a selective, high-sensitivity detector for phosphorus (P) compounds,

sulfur (S) compounds, and organic tin (Sn) compounds. The FPD is enormously
selective because it detects element-specific light emitted within a hydrogen flame.
Applications:
 Analysis of phosphorus pesticides
 Analysis of sulfur-based malodors and food odor components
 Analysis of organic tin in marine products
4. Sulfur Chemiluminescence Detectors (SCD)

The SCD is a selective, high-sensitivity detector for sulfur (S) compounds. The
SCD is highly sensitive and able to detecting infinitesimal quantities of sulfur
compounds. Compared to the FPD, which is similarly capable of selective detection
of sulfur compounds, the SCD is around one order of magnitude more sensitive and
exhibits a proportional linear relationship between the SCD sensitivity and the
sample concentration. (This relationship is quadratic for the FPD.)
Applications:

 Detection of infinitesimal amounts of sulfur compounds in petroleum oil and

gas
 Measurement of sulfur compounds in gasoline
 Analysis of food odor components
 Measurement of volatile sulfur compounds in beverages

References
https://microbenotes.com/gas-chromatography/

https://www.ssi.shimadzu.com/products/gas-chromatography/fundamental-guide-to-gas-
chromatography/what-is-gas-chromatography.html

https://www.technologynetworks.com/analysis/articles/gas-chromatography-how-a-gas-
chromatography-machine-works-how-to-read-a-chromatograph-and-gcxgc-335168

https://www.ssi.shimadzu.com/products/gas-chromatography/fundamental-guide-to-gas-
chromatography/detector.html