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Figure 2
Quantitative analysis of Aroclor® standards
in less than 6 minutes, using an Rtx®-5 GC
column and the GC Racer system.
by Mike Goss, Instrument Innovations Engineer, Gary Stidsen, Innovations Manager,
and Donna Lidgett, GC Accessories Product Marketing Manager
Fast Analysis of Aroclor® PCBs
With the GC Racer* Temperature
Programming System
✔ Increase sample throughput without investing a large amount of capital.
✔ Easy to operate and install—truly a “plug and play” accessory.
✔ Operate your Agilent 5890 GC as fast as a 6890!
Figure 1
The GC Racer allows a temperature program
rate of up to 70°C/min. to be maintained
up to 350°C!
GC: Agilent 5890; Service: 120V/15 amp;
Start Temp: 20°C; set oven to 400°C and monitor
oven temp.
Fast temperature programs are commonly used in
gas chromatographic (GC) applications to speed up
elution of high boiling point compounds and late
eluters. The most common GC, the Agilent 5890,
has a maximum temperature program rate of
70°C/min., but heating elements in the 5890 only
allow this maximum temperature program rate to
be maintained up to a temperature of 100°C. For
analysts trying to push temperature ramps as fast as
possible, this inhibited program rate leads to longer
analyses times and broader peaks. Now, using the
GC Racer auxiliary heating unit, temperature pro-
gram rates of up to 70°C/min. can be maintained
up to 350°C (Figure 1).
Restek and Zip Scientific have teamed up to bring
you the GC Racer temperature programmer, which
consists of a program controller and a resistive
heating element placed on the floor of the GC oven.
The heating element is connected to the controller,
which is plugged into the main PC board of the GC.
When the GC Racer programmer detects that the
factory heating elements are not keeping up with
the programmed heating rate, the GC Racer heater
is brought into the circuit to augment the heat
being supplied to the oven. The GC Racer system
will maintain a temperature program rate of
70°C/min. up to 350°C, or a rate of 60°C/min. to
temperatures as high as 450°C.
The simplicity of GC Racer components and ease of
installation make the GC Racer system a “must
have” add-on accessory for every 5890 GC.
The auxiliary heater design is similar to that of the
original GC heater. The auxiliary heater plugs into
the GC Racer controller, which plugs into the main
PC board on the GC. The only other connection
needed is to plug the GC Racer controller into a
120V electrical service. At no time during the instal-
lation of the GC Racer system does the column need
to be removed from the oven, or disconnected from
the detector or injection port.
As part of cost reduction efforts, many laboratories
try to reduce individual sample analysis times in the
interest of increasing overall throughput. High-
temperature simulated distillation analyses can take
as long as an hour, especially when samples contain
hydrocarbons up to C110. An effective technique to
reduce analysis time is to use rapid temperature pro-
gramming. By attaching the GC Racer to your Agilent
5890 GC, you can, for example, analyze Aroclor®
standards in less than 6 minutes (Figure 2). This
can be up to an 80% reduction in analysis time.
The GC Racer system is a highly effective, easily
installed new tool in the quest for high-speed GC.
The analysis speed that now can be achieved will
lead to significant long-term savings of time and
money by decreasing run time and increasing sam-
ple throughput.
Description qty. cat.# price
For Agilent 5890 Series II (only) GC ea. 23024
For Agilent 5890A (only) GC ea. 23025
Column: Rtx®-5 15m, 0.32mm ID, 0.50µm
(cat.# 10236)
Inj.: 1µL splitless (hold 0.5 min.), Siltek™
Drilled Uniliner® Liner (cat.# 21054-214.1)
Conc.: 400 ppb
Inj. temp.: 250°C
Carrier gas: hydrogen
Linear velocity: head pressure at 5 psi
Oven temp.: 110°C (hold 1 min.), 60°C/min. to
300°C, (hold 5 min.)
Det. temp.: 310°C
GC_EV00581
Aroclor®
1242
(cat.# 32009)
GC_EV00584
Aroclor®
1260
(cat.# 32012)
Aroclor®
1248
(cat.# 32010)
Aroclor®
1254
(cat.# 32011)
GC Racer Temperature Programming System
*Patent pending.
GC_EV00583
GC_EV00582
min. 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
min. 3.0 4.0 5.0
min. 3.0 4.0 5.0
min. 3.0 4.0 5.0
Reduce quantitative analysis
time by up to 80%—increase sample
throughput up to 5 times!
For our large selection of Aroclor® PCB
standards, refer to our annual Chromatography
Products Guide(lit. cat.# 59662) or visit our
website.