One of the many remarkable features of the HP 6890 Series gas chromatograph (GC) is its ability to perform fast GC without special modifications or expensive accessories. It delivers complete, valid, and defensible data two, five, or even ten times faster than with traditional methods run on conventional laboratory GCs.

Fast GC offers significant quality and cost benefits:

• Quicker results allow more timely decisions, which means less product waste, higher-value products, and a shorter time-to-market. Out-of-spec products can be caught quickly, for greater safety and reduced liability.

• Faster sample turnaround increases revenues

• Decreased operating costs, because less carrier gas and power are used per sample. And the cost of columns is lower.

• Ability to handle more samples without hiring new operators

Methylene chloride n-Butanal n-Butanol Toluene 2-Ethyl hexanal 2-Ethyl-2-hexanal 1-Nonanol Esters

Chromatogram A Column: HP-1; 60 m x 0.32 mm x 1 µm Temperature: 100°C (1 min); 6°C/min to 275°C (5 min) Injection: 0.5 µL, split 200:1 Pressure: 15.7 psi, helium

Chromatogram B Column: HP-1; 20 m x 0.10 mm x 0.4 µm Temperature: 100°C (0.03 min); 17.4°C/min to 275°C (3 min) Injection: 0.1 µL, split 900:1 Pressure: 74.2 psi, helium

Chromatogram C Column: HP-1; 10 m x 0.10 mm x 0.4 µm Temperature: 100°C (0 min); 49.1°C/min to 275°C (2 min) Injection: 0.1 µL, split 700:1 Pressure: 49.1 psi, helium

Traditional GC and Fast GC for a Chemical Process Intermediate

Real Chromatography
The HP 6890 Series offers a complete system for fast GC. It is not just a fast cryofocusing and desorption device; it is not fast GC that limits flexibility or performance; it is fast GC with qualitative and quantitative performance that equals that of conventional analyses. Configured for fast GC, the system can perform all types of analyses, not just one or two.

Unlike other fast GC approaches, this system lets the user decide analysis speed according to desired results.

Predictable Method Translation
HP method translation software (available free) lets users successfully convert current methods to fast GC within minutes. The software

• preserves the elution order for each compound; peak identification does not have to be repeated; users can validate new methods quickly.

• instantly calculates the new oven temperature program and column head pressure given the new column dimensions, phase ratio, and carrier gas type.

• calculates speed gains, accurately predicting time savings for any method translated to fast GC before running a sample; users can determine quickly which method variables are most important for maximizing analysis speed.

Figure 2. (A) Standard GC analysis (run time 20 minutes). (B) Results with a smaller column (run time 6 minutes). (C) Change of the carrier gas from helium to hydrogen; the run time decreased to less than 4 minutes. The peaks are still well resolved, and the elution order is maintained.

A Column: HP-Wax; 30 m x 0.32 mm x 0.5 µm Temperature: 60°C (4 min); 10°C/min to 140°C; 15°C/min to 200°C (4 min) Injection: 0.5 µL, split 200:1 Pressure: 6.4 psi, helium B Column: HP-Wax; 10 m x 0.32 mm x 0.2 µm Temperature: 60°C (1 min); 36.7°C/min to 140°C; 55.1°C/min to 200°C (2 min) Injection: 0.1 µL; split 800:1 Pressure: 37.3 psi, helium C Column: HP-Wax; 10m x 0.10 mm x 0.2 µm Temperature: 60°C (0.7 min); 55.1°C/min to 140°C; 70°C/min to 200°C (1 min) Injection: 0.1 µL, split 800:1 Pressure: 21.9 psi, hydrogen

This software offers the advantages of predictable translation of all conditions. Minimal time is spent redeveloping and revalidating methods. Before running a sample, the user can explore the impact of different conditions on analysis speed and identify potential method or instrument constraints.

Low-Risk Approach to Fast GC
The system consists of the HP 6890 Series GC equipped with electronic pneumatics control (EPC), off-the-shelf capillary columns, split/splitless inlets, standard detectors optimized for capillary columns, and the HP ChemStation.

At any time, users can switch from fast GC back to the original method without risk, or optimize new methods to meet new analytical demands. Fast or conventional GC - with the, essentially standard, HP GC system complemented by HP method translation software, users enjoy full confidence in the quality of their results either way.

How to Get the Fast GC Software The Hewlett-Packard method translation software for fast GC can be downloaded from the Chemical Analysis Group (CAG) section of the HP home page on the World Wide Web at : /cag/servsup/usersoft

Figure 3. The simple-to-use method translation software does all the work of determining the parameters to set for faster analysis times.