Section 1: Theory and Instrumentation of GC Introduction

• Basic principle
• Aims and Objectives
• Origins of Gas Chromatography
• Why choose Gas Chromatography
• Gas Chromatography Separation Mechanism
• GC Advantages and Disadvantages
• Typical GC Applications

Section 3: Band Broadening

• Importance of Efficiency in GC Separations
• Stationary Phase Mass Transfer
• Mobile Phase Mass Transfer
• Stationary Phase Film Thickness Effects
• Column Internal Diameter Effects
• Carrier Gas Flow Rate Effects
• Effect of Carrier Gas Type on Efficiency

Section 5: Sampling Techniques

• Sampling Techniques Overview
• Manual Injection
• Cold Needle Technique
• Hot Needle Technique
• Air Gap Techniques
• Solvent Flush Technique
• Automatic Liquid Sampling (Auto samplers)
• Gas Sampling Devices
• Purge and Trap Auto samplers (a)
• Purge and Trap Adsorbents (b)
• Thermal Desorption Auto samplers (TD)
• Two Stage Thermal Desorption
• Two Stage Desorption with Cold Trapping
• Thermal Desorption - Important Parameters
• TD Sorbent Selection and Applications
• Solid Phase Micro extraction (SPME)
• Important SPME Parameters
• Headspace Sampling (HS)
• Headspace Auto samplers
• Headspace Calibration and Quantitation

Section 7: GC Columns Aims and Objectives

• Open Tubular Capillary Columns
• Comparison of Packed and Capillary GC
• Columns
• Chemistry Review - Analyte & Stationary
• Phase Polarity
• Dispersive Interactions
• Stationary Phase Selection
• Stationary Phase Selection Summary
• Stationary Phases for Packed Column GC
• Column Dimensions - Length
• Column Dimensions - Internal Diameter
• Column Dimensions - Film Thickness (df)
• Phase Ratio (ß)
• Carrier Gas Flow Rate
• Column Bleed
• Column Installation & Conditioning

Section 2: Chromatographic Parameters

• Chromatographic Resolution (Rs)
• The Resolution Equation
• Retention Factor (k)
• Selectivity (Separation) Factor
• Efficiency
• Resolution
• Peak Asymmetry

Section 4: Gas Supply and Pressure Control

• Gases required for GC
• Gas Supply Management
• Quality of Gas Supply
• Gas Generators - Using Hydrogen in the Lab
• Manual Pressure Control
• Electronic Pressure Control
• Pressure/ Flow Programming

Section 6: Sample Introduction

• GC Inlet Systems
• Spilt / Split less Inlet
• Spilt Injection
• Setting the Split Ratio
• Sample Discrimination
• Injection Volume
• Optimizing Injection Volume
• Split Injection - Experiments
• Spilt less Injection

Section 8: GC Temperature Programming

• The Role of Temperature in GC Separations
• Isothermal and Gradient Temperature GC
• Theory of Temperature Programmed GC
• Using and Developing Temperature Programs
• Predicting Isothermal Conditions
• Optimizing Isothermal Conditions
• Initial Temperature and Hold Time
• Adjusting the Ramp Rate
• Final Temperature and Time

Section 9: GC Detectors

• GC Detectors Overview
• GC Detectors - Characteristics
• The Flame Ionisation Detector
• FID - Operating and Optimizing
• FID - Uses and Performance
• The Nitrogen Phosphorous Detector (NPD)
• The Electron Capture Detector (ECD)
• The Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD)
• Other GC Detectors