The only analytical technique that can accurately identify and quantify a wide range of inorganic and organic compounds non-destructive is GC-UV. This method is a complete scan method that continuously monitors the compounds’ eluting from a chromatographic column. Analytical chemistry utilizes gas chromatography to separate compounds that can be quickly evaporated without decomposition. It can also test substances’ purity. GC-UV is a type of analytical technique similar to gas chromatography multi-step mass spectroscopy. However, these two methods’ dual detection and separation capabilities make them ideal for applications that require high-quality and narrow bandwidths. GC-UV spectroscopy is a versatile technique that can be used for the selective analysis of various compounds. It has many advantages over mass spectrometers (MS).
The sensitivity of the GC-UV systems can be computed from the various factors that affect its performance, such as the flow geometry and the separation columns used. Compared to the infrared wavelength, the absorption rate of compounds in the UV region is up to a thousand times higher.
The absorptivities of compounds in the UV region are up to a thousand times higher than those in the infrared wavelength. The noise level can also be kept equal or even lower than that of FTIR detectors. This means that the signal-to-noise ratio of the GC-UV INSCAN™ 176 can be significantly higher.
Before the technology was commercialized, bright source facilities mainly performed measurements in this area. A new generation of UV systems can simultaneously measure the absorption spectrum from 150 to 240 nm with abilities to reach down in a lower wavelength. This allows researchers to analyze compounds in this wavelength range with high accuracy and reproducibility. Most of the chemical compounds that absorb light have unique absorption patterns. With the GC-UV INSCAN™ an operator is able to perform quantitative and qualitative chemical measurements within 20 minutes and get a 3D result – enabling the world’s fastest GC measurement with high reproducibility.
GC-UV spectroscopy is a versatile technique that can be used for the selective analysis of various compounds. It has many advantages over mass spectrometers. Mass spectrometers are commonly used for the analysis of compounds in gas chromatography, however, UV spectroscopy can be utilized as a selective method for this process to a lower cost than a GC-MS analysis. Since GC carrier gases have a low absorptive capacity, they are ideal for analyzing compounds. Although unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons in mixtures are commonly associated with e.g., petrochemicals, modern analytical techniques are generally not compatible with systems containing aromatic and catalyzed compounds. However, with the availability of photons in the UV’s 150 to 160 nm wavelength region, researchers can still perform practical analysis of alkanes to mention an example of the capabilities of combining GC with UV spectrometry.
The molecular structure of compounds plays a significant role in the absorption spectrum’s shape. Even small changes in the form of molecules can lead to substantial changes in absorption patterns. Minor differences in the spectral features of compounds can be analyzed by a UV detector. One of its most beneficial features is its ability to distinguish isobaric species from non-isobaric ones. This allows researchers to use the technique to analyze compounds with high complementarity.
UV relies on registering compounds’ pure absorption spectrum to perform qualitative analysis. Several thousands of chemical compounds can be measured with the GC-UV INSCAN™ which is sufficient many industries. As more chemical compounds are added by new users, this number will continue to grow, because the users can build their own spectra libraries using the GC-UV INSCAN™ systems. The technique is efficient to analyze compounds with high accuracy.
Researchers also presented that UV Spectrometry can be used to characterise different types of fuels and chemical compounds in the petrochemical industry. In addition to its ability to convert analytes into single absorption signals, UV has the ability to study chemical compounds with complex multidimensional separations. Due to the increasing number of applications for GC-UV as a proven method in analytical chemistry, researchers in other research fields will eventually realise its value compared to GC-MS and FTIR. However, its applications in targeted and non-targeted analysis have already demonstrated the effectiveness of combining Gas Chromatography with UV Spectrometry.
