High-throughput reactor for simulating the flame photometric detector

Quenching of luminescing species by co-eluting hydrocarbons has been widely reported in the flame photometric detector (FPD). This paper describes a n ovel method of investigating the chemical behavior of both analyte and quen cher molecules in the FPD. The method is designed to reproduce the FPD's be haviour on a large scale by using a custom-built reactor. The high-throughp ut reactor's multi-capillary burner, situated inside a glass housing, is we ll suited to approximate the low-temperature, fuel-rich conditions of the c onventional FPD, and also allows the study of various other flame phenomena . Wide regions of gas composition can be accessed by both diffusion- and pr emixed-type flames, and products can be easily sampled. Effluent collection demonstrates that 2 to 82% of various organic compounds may survive passag e through the diffusion flame and be recovered intact. The recovery of seve ral (unchanged) model hydrocarbons was found to decrease with increasing ca rbon number. Hetero-atoms such as sulfur, nitrogen, or oxygen greatly decre ase the recovery of molecules relative to their pure hydrocarbon analogues. Compared to a diffusion flame, the recoveries of n-alkanes from a premixed flame are much lower and largely independent of carbon number or volatilit y. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.