Introduction of large volumes of water-containing samples into a gas chromatograph - Improved retention of volatile solutes through the swing system

The swing system is designed for introducing large volumes of water-contain ing samples into a gas chromatograph. Sample evaporation and solvent-solute separation are performed in separate compartments. This widens the applica tion range to compounds of higher volatility. Sample evaporation takes plac e in a hot chamber packed with Carbofrit. Solvent-solute separation is perf ormed in a cascade of increasing powers of retention. While high boiling so lutes are retained in an oven-thermostatted retaining precolumn, the more v olatile components are retained by a packed bed of sorbents of increasing p owers of retention situated in a programmed temperature vaporiser. For elut ion, the gas flow is reversed and the solutes are discharged from the heate d packed bed through the retaining precolumn into the separation column. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.