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Gas Chromatography (GC)

AstrobiologyOU Gas Chromatography

The Gas Chromatography (GC) is used to analyse organic compounds. AstrobiologyOU predominantly utilise this capability to measure microbial produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be used as a biosignature for microbial activity in simulation experiments and analogue field sites.

Description

Two GCs are available for the analysis of organic compounds, including the detection of low level methane produced by microbiological samples. The Agilent 7890A GC can be coupled to either a flame-ionisation detector (FID) or an electron capture detector (µECD); the Agilent 7890B system can be coupled to an FID.  Previous work has also included phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) detection, waste gas composition analysis and volatile fatty acid (VFA) detection.

The GC suite benefits from the ability to be accessed remotely, which allows data analysis to be carried out off-site.

Specification

  GC8 GC9
Model Agilent 7890A Agilent 7890B
Gases N2, H2, Air N2, H2, Air, (He carrier /LN2 for optic)
Detectors

FID/ µECD

FID – detection of hydrocarbons

µECD – detection of nitro compounds, halogenated compounds

FID

FID – detection of hydrocarbons
Software Chemstation OpenLabs CDS client server to allow remote access to instrument and software
Extra

Split/ Splitless inlet

Autosampler

Cryogenic Optic 4 inlet (liquid nitrogen)

Specific intended use: For trapping ethane at levels up to 1/10,000 the concentration of methane ~1.8 ppm
Current usage

Detection of methane in biotic/ abiotic samples

Detection N2O in air samples.

 Detection of methane/ ethane in biotic/ abiotic samples.

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