Page 81 - Multidimensional Chromatography

72 Multidimensional Chromatography

3.4 CONCLUSIONS

While far less widely reported in the literature than GC–MS coupled techniques,
heart-cut two-dimensional gas chromatography offers very many solutions to the
analysis of trace level components in complex mixtures. The area of petrochemical
analysis is likely to continue to be a source of new innovative methods for the analy-
sis of aromatic and polynuclear aromatic compounds, as well as pioneering the
isolation of heteroatom species. It is the analysis of enantiomeric species, however,
where two-dimensional GC currently excels. The ability to study chiral compounds
released as a result of natural processes may hold the key to a better understanding of
many biological and biochemical processes, as well as giving essential insights into
food, flavour and fragrance science. The ability to differentiate between atropiso-
mers related to persistent chlorinated organic pollutants will also have a major
impact on the way that we study the remediation and cycling of such species in the
environment. Since two-dimensional separations already allow the isolation of many
trace species at both isomeric and enantiomeric levels, it is likely that future
developments and coupling to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry will also offer new
possibilities in tracing the formation and fate of organic compounds in both indus-
trial and natural processes.

REFERENCES

1. L. A. Luke and J. V. Brunnock, ‘Separation of naphthenic and paraffinic hydrocarbons
up to C 11 from hydrocarbon mixtures by gas chromatography on faujasite molecular
sieves’, Ger. Offen. 1 908 418 (1968).
2. J. C. Giddings, ‘Maximum number of components resolvable by gel filtration and other
elution chromatographic methods’, Anal. Chem. 39: 1027–1028 (1967).
3. T. A. Berger, ‘Separation of a gasoline on an open tubular column with 1.3 million
effective plates’, Chromatographia 42:63–71 (1996).
4. Z. Liu and J. B. Phillips, ‘Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using
an on-column thermal modulator interface’, J. Chromatogr. Sci. 29:227–231 (1991).
5. K. Grob, Split and Splitless Injection in Capillary GC, W. Bertsch, W. G. Jennings and
P. Sandra (Series Eds), Hüthig, Heidelberg, Germany (1991).
6. E. Boselli, B. Grolimund, K. Grob, G. Lercker and R. Amadò, ‘Solvent trapping during
large volume injection with an early vapor exit. Part 1: description of the flooding pro-
cess’, J. High Resolut. Chromatogr. 21:355–362 (1998).
7. B. M. Gordon, C. E. Rix and M. F. Borgerding, ‘Comparison of state-of-the-art column
switching techniques in high resolution gas chromatography’, J. Chromatogr. Sci. 23:
1–10 (1985).
8. P. L. Mills and W. E. Guise, ‘A multidimensional gas chromatographic method for anal-
ysis of n-butane oxidation reaction products’, J. Chromatogr. Sci. 14:431–459 (1996).
9. S. T. Adam, ‘Quality test of a mechanical switching valve for two-dimensional open
tubular gas chromatography’, J. High Resolut. Chromatogr. Chromatogr. Commun. 11:
85–89 (1988).
10. K. Shiomi, ‘Determination of acetaldehyde, acetal and other volatile congeners in alco-
holic beverages using multidimensional capillary gas chromatography’, J. High
Resolut. Chromatogr. Chromatogr. Commun. 14:136–137 (1991).