Fully Automated Portable Comprehensive 2-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Device.

We developed a fully automated portable 2-dimensional (2-D) gas chromatography (GC x GC) device, which had a dimension of 60 cm × 50 cm × 10 cm and weight less than 5 kg. The device incorporated a micropreconcentrator/injector, commercial columns, micro-Deans switches, microthermal injectors, microphotoionization detectors, data acquisition cards, and power supplies, as well as computer control and user interface. It employed multiple channels (4 channels) in the second dimension ((2)D) to increase the (2)D separation time (up to 32 s) and hence (2)D peak capacity. In addition, a nondestructive flow-through vapor detector was installed at the end of the (1)D column to monitor the eluent from (1)D and assist in reconstructing (1)D elution peaks. With the information obtained jointly from the (1)D and (2)D detectors, (1)D elution peaks could be reconstructed with significantly improved (1)D resolution. In this Article, we first discuss the details of the system operating principle and the algorithm to reconstruct (1)D elution peaks, followed by the description and characterization of each component. Finally, 2-D separation of 50 analytes, including alkane (C6-C12), alkene, alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, cycloalkane, and aromatic hydrocarbon, in 14 min is demonstrated, showing the peak capacity of 430-530 and the peak capacity production of 40-80/min.