Gas chromatography with selective detection is finding widespread use in a broad range of applications that cut across many segments of the petroleum, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and food safety industries. Demand for low-level sulfur and phosphorus detection will only increase in the future as a response to more stringent environmental and quality control and regulations.
The FPD (flame photometric detector) is often overlooked when the need for low-level volatile quantitation arises in the analytical laboratory. More complex and expensive detectors such as the pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD), atomic emission detector (AED), and sulfur chemiluminescence detector (SCD) have traditionally dominated these applications. Although these detectors are very sensitive, they require a high level of expertise for calibration, tuning, and maintenance to achieve optimal performance.
Performance Improvements
Agilent's enhanced FPD demonstrates a five-fold improvement in sensitivity for sulfur and a ten- to fifteen-fold improvement for phosphorus compared to the previous design (see table below). This is due to an innovative optics package that includes both a lens and wide-band optical filter set. Compared to other manufacturers' standard FPDs, the Agilent detector is now more sensitive for both sulfur and phosphorus. In fact, it is more sensitive for phosphorus than a pulsed FPD.
|
Sulfur Sensitivity (pg/sec) |
Phosphorus Sensitivity (fg/sec) |
Sulfur Selectivity (gS/gC) |
Phosphorus Selectivity (gS/gC) |
Maximum Temperature (C) |
| Previous Agilent FPD |
20 |
900 |
1.00E+05 |
1.00E+06 |
250 |
| Enhanced Agilent FPD |
3.6 |
60 |
1.00E+06 |
1.00E+06 |
250 |
Table 1. Comparison of the performance of the Agilent FPDs, as represented in the documented detector specifications.*
* See specifications below.
In addition to the tremendous sensitivity improvements for both sulfur and phosphorus, the enhanced FPD also demonstrates an order of magnitude improvement for sulfur selectivity over carbon.
Design Improvements
Agilent has designed a new single-piece transfer-line assembly, replacing three of the four soft seals and effectively eliminating the possibility for leaks to develop during repeated thermal cycling in temperature-programmed chromatography. This reduces the chances of detector flame-outs and variable results. Final testing for this detector exhibited excellent chemical inertness and was proven to be completely leak-free with temperature cycles to 250 degrees Centigrade.
Upgrade Kits Available
If you currently have the previous version of Agilent's FPD installed on your GC, you can take advantage of the improved performance by ordering an enhanced FPD upgrade kit. Kits are available for both the single and dual-wavelength detectors.
To order now or get pricing (for e-commerce enabled customers in North America, Puerto Rico, and Western Europe only), click the appropriate link below. In other countries, contact your local Agilent sales office or authorized distributor
Click here if you have an FPD mounted on a 6850 GC (G2630B only)
Click here if you have a single-wavelength FPD mounted on a 6890 GC
Click here if you have a dual-wavelength FPD mounted on a 6890 GC
All new GCs with the FPD option (240 or 241) will automatically include the enhanced FPD.
Specifications
7890A - 5989-6317EN (Feb 21st, 2007)
MDL: <60 fg P/s, <3.6 pg S/s with methylparathion
6890N - 5989-3290EN (Jan 24th, 2007)
MDL: <60 fg P/s, <3.6 pg S/s with methylparathion
6890N - 5988-5329EN (Jan 15th, 2002)
MDL: <20 pg S/sec, <0.9 pg P/sec with dodecanethiol/tributyl-phosphat mixture
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