VOLATILE ENRICHMENT ON AUTOMATIC STATIC HEADSPACE USING A PRECOLUMN AND STOPPING THE CARRIER GAS BLOW DURING INJECTION

The aim of this study was to develop a technique for performing automa tic static headspace analysis of volatiles without a cryogenic device. Reconcentration of solutes was accomplished using a graphitized carbo n coated precolumn between two splitting points and slopping carrier g as flow during injection. Chromatographic profiles of volatile compoun ds from ground coffee compared with split and splitless injections pro vide confirmation of the good sensitivity of the technique. The analys is of a standard mixture covering a wide range of volatility confirms that the described technique might be useful to achieve enrichement of low volatile headspace compounds, even if discrimination against the various components is present.