Related Articles

• High Sensitivity Analysis of Dioxins By Using a Multi Dimensional GC System (MDS-6890 Solvent-Cut System) with a Large Volume Injector

  Recently, dioxin is being analyzed in a wide variety of materials. In addition to conventional environmental samples such as fly ash and exhaust gas, biological and water samples such as blood, breast milk, and tap water are being analyzed. Because the dioxin concentrations in these samples are extremely low, ultra high sensitivity is one of the critical features required for analytical systems. Higher sensitivity in analysis is obtained by improving the performance of the mass spectrometer as well as improving the injection techniques for the gas chromatograph. The PTV (Programmable Temperature Vaporizer) inlet is an example of such injection techniques. The PTV inlet selectively eliminates solvents at the sample injector, allows for large volume sample injection, and concentrates the compounds of interest onto the GC column.(1) However, the PTV inlet does not support solvents whose boiling point is higher than that of toluene because it is designed to separate solvents from compounds in question by controlling the injector temperature alone. Also, contamination builds up rapidly inside the injector. To address these problems, we investigated the analysis of dioxins by using a multi-dimensional gas chromatograph (MD-GC) with a large-volume injector as a high-sensitivity analytical method for dioxins.
• Integrated Analysis of an Acrylic Resin using msFineAnalysis v2 - MSTips 300

  In 2018, msFineAnalysis Ver.1 software was released in which data acquired by EI, soft ionization, and accurate mass measurements were automatically integrated to generate a qualitative report for samples measured by these techniques with GC-MS. Recently, msFineAnalysis Ver.2 was introduced as an enhanced version with additional features. In this work, we will describe the changes in Ver.2, which now includes chromatographic deconvolution, and present applications using the new features.
• Analyzing a Specific Component using Group Analysis of msFineAnalysis Ver. 2 - MSTips 303

  In 2018, we announced the msFineAnalysis software which was designed to automatically integrate two types of data acquired by EI and soft ionization. Recently, we developed msFineAnalysis Version 2, an enhanced version with additional features. msFineAnalysis Version 2 incorporates two new features: Chromatographic Deconvolution and Group Analysis. In this work, we use the group analysis capabilities of the software to evaluate the pyrolysis GC-MS results for a vinyl acetate resin.
• Non-targeted analysis of electronics waste by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry: Using accurate mass information and mass defect analysis to explore the data

  Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) offer the best possible separation of their respective techniques. Recent commercialization of combined GC×GC–HRMS systems offers new possibilities for the analysis of complex mixtures. However, such experiments yield enormous data sets that require new informatics tools to facilitate the interpretation of the rich information content. This study reports on the analysis of dust obtained from an electronics recycling facility by using GC×GC in combination with a new high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. New software tools for (non-traditional) Kendrick mass defect analysis were developed in this research and greatly aided in the identification of compounds containing chlorine and bromine, elements that feature in most persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In essence, the mass defect plot serves as a visual aid from which halogenated compounds are recognizable on the basis of their mass defect and isotope patterns. Mass chromatograms were generated based on specific ions identified in the plots as well as region of the plot predominantly occupied by halogenated contaminants. Tentative identification was aided by database searches, complementary electron-capture negative ionization experiments and elemental composition determinations from the exact mass data. These included known and emerging flame retardants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromobenzene, tetrabromo bisphenol A and tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), as well as other legacy contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs).
• Analysis of Electronics Waste by GCxGC Combined with High-resolution Mass Spectrometry: Using Accurate Mass Information and Mass Defect Analysis to Explore the Data

  Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is a powerful tool for the analysis of complex mixtures. However, new software tools are required to facilitate the interpretation of the rich information content in GCxGC/HRMS data sets. In this work, we analyzed a dust sample collected from an electronics recycling facility by using GCxGC in combination with a new high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Nontraditional Kendrick Mass Defect (KMD) plots were used to identify halogenated contaminants in an electronics waste sample. Database search results combined with elemental composition determinations from exact-mass data were used to identify (potential) persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
• Analysis of Reaction Gases in a PECVD Chamber: Reaction Analysis using a High-Resolution Mass Spectrometer

  Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is an evaporation technique that forms various thin films on a substrate using a material gas in a low-vacuum chamber. PECVD, which decomposes the material gas via plasma, is widely used to develop silicon, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride films in semiconductor device fabrication.