Gas chromatography (GC) originated in the early 1950s through the collaborative efforts of a team led by Martin and James at the University of Chicago. British chemist Archer John Porter Martin and Australian-born British biochemist Richard Laurence Millington Synge are credited with pioneering gas-liquid chromatography, later known as gas chromatography.
The inception of chromatography, a technique for separating and analyzing mixtures, traces back to 1900 when Russian-Italian botanist Mikhail Tsvet introduced the concept. Tsvet’s liquid-solid chromatographic method for separating plant pigments laid the groundwork for future chromatographic advancements. In the 1940s, Martin and Synge commenced their joint work on chromatography at the Wool Industries Research Association (WIRA) in England. Their goal was to enhance the separation efficiency of liquid chromatography. In 1944, they introduced the concept of ‘partition chromatography’ in a groundbreaking paper, employing a liquid stationary phase coated on a solid support.
Martin continued his chromatography research at the University of Chicago in the early 1950s, collaborating with colleague Anthony T. James to develop the first gas chromatograph. Distinguished from liquid chromatography by utilizing a gaseous mobile phase, this pioneering gas chromatograph featured a glass column packed with a solid support and a coated liquid stationary phase. In the gas chromatograph, a sample mixture was injected into the column, and a carrier gas, such as hydrogen or helium, transported the components through the column. Interaction with the stationary phase caused separation based on differing affinities and retention times.
Despite early challenges, such as limited capabilities and a lack of suitable detectors, technological advancements and the creation of detectors like thermal conductivity and flame ionization detectors significantly enhanced the method’s applicability and sensitivity. Gas chromatography has since evolved into specialized techniques like capillary gas chromatography, gas-solid chromatography, and gas-liquid chromatography. Widely employed in chemistry, biochemistry, environmental analysis, petrochemicals, forensics, and pharmaceutical research, gas chromatography stands as a crucial analytical tool.
Martin and James’ invention revolutionized analytical chemistry, providing scientists with a precise and efficient means to separate and analyze complex mixtures. Their pioneering work laid the groundwork for diverse chromatographic techniques, continuing to propel scientific research and analysis today.
