Programmed temperature vaporisers-based large volume injection in capillary gas chromatography

The introduction of large sample volumes in capillary gas chromatography us ing programmed temperature vaporisers (PTV) is reviewed. The development of the different strategies as well as the state of the art are described. As the analytes are normally enriched in the insert in large-volume PTV injec tion, the quoted papers are subdivided depending on whether the enrichment was carried out from organic solvents, from water or from gaseous media. Fu rthermore, the possibilities of PTVs for online coupling with sample prepar ation methods or other separation techniques and their use as thermoreactor s are mentioned. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.