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• 13 •
800-356-1688 •
www.restek.com2005 vol. 1
New GC Column for PCB Congeners or
Aroclor® Mixes: Rtx®-PCB
Exclusive Polymer with Unique Selectivity
by Gary Stidsen, GC Columns Marketing Manager
•Unique polymer for PCBs analysis by GC/ECD or GC/MS.
•Good results for other semivolatiles.
• Low polarity and inertness for active compounds.
• Thermally stable to 340ºC.
Rtx
®
-PCB columns contain a proprietary polymer
that has provided unique separations for PCB
congeners, and can be used with electron cap-
ture detection or mass spectrometry. Figure 1
shows the excellent peak shape obtained for the
PCB congeners in several Aroclor
®
mixes. In our
initial review of data for these columns, we dis-
covered that by using an Rtx
®
-PCB column in a
GC/MS analysis, European PCB congeners can
be analyzed without interference from other
congeners. Table 1 is a shortened list of the PCB
congeners, showing those that elute near the
European PCB congeners, which are indicated
by an “x”.
Figure 1
Excellent separation and peak
shape for PCBs in three Aroclor® mixes, using an
Rtx®-PCB column.
Column:
Rtx
®
-PCB 30m, 0.25mm ID, 0.25µm (cat.# 13223)
Sample:
200ng/mL Aroclor
®
1242 (cat.# 32009); Aroclor
®
1254 (cat.# 32011); Aroclor
®
1260 (cat.# 32012)
Inj.:
1.0µL splitless (hold 0.75 min.), 3.5mm ID single
gooseneck inlet liner (cat.# 20962)
Inj. temp.:
250ºC
Carrier gas:
hydrogen, constant pressure
Linear velocity:
71cm/sec. @ 110ºC
Oven temp.:
100ºC (hold 1.0 min.) to 300ºC @ 10ºC/min. (hold 4
min.)
Det.:
ECD @ 310ºC
Rtx
®
-PCB Columns (fused silica)
ID
df (µm)
temp. limits*
20-Meter
30-Meter
60-Meter
0.18mm 0.18
30°C to 320/340°C 41302
$445
41304
$470
0.25mm
0.25
30°C to 320/340°C
13223
$445
13226
$470
0.32mm 0.50
30°C to 320/340°C
13239
$525
unique polymer
technology
new
!
Aroclor
®
1242 on Rtx
®
-PCB
Aroclor
®
1254 on
Rtx
®
-PCB
Aroclor
®
1260 on
Rtx
®
-PCB
Table I
Coelutions do not interfere with analysis of European PCB congeners (“x”) on Rtx®-PCB:
only congeners not measurable by MS are indicated in boxes.
Eur
IUPAC #
Cl #
T
R
(min.)
Resolution
Assessment
53
4
14.11
31
3
14.14
0.5
x
28
3
14.23
1.4
Measurable by MS
33
3
14.27
0.6
51
4
14.29
0.4
20
3
14.30
0.1
45
4
14.54
3.8
46
4
14.71
43
4
14.88
2.7
x
52
4
14.94
1.0
Measurable by MS
48
4
15.01
1.2
49
4
15.08
1.0
89
5
17.29
84
5
17.30
0.2
56
4
17.34
0.6
x
101
5
17.35
0.2
Measurable by MS
99
5
17.50
2.3
60
4
17.52
0.4
123
5
19.18
109
5
19.19
0.2
134
6
19.24
0.7
133
6
19.28
0.7
x
118
5
19.35
1.0
Measurable by MS
131
6
19.35
0.0
146
6
19.47
1.9
122
5
19.53
1.0
114
5
19.65
1.8
x
153
6
19.66
0.2
132
6
19.77
1.7
179
7
19.88
1.8
130
6
20.31
164
6
20.33
0.3
178
7
20.45
1.9
x
138
6
20.47
0.3
Measurable by MS
163
6
20.51
0.6
129
6
20.56
0.7
158
6
20.60
0.6
172
7
21.99
156
6
22.07
1.3
157
6
22.18
1.6
x
180
7
22.19
0.3
Major congener 180 should
193
7
22.23
0.6
not be terribly biased by 193.
200
8
22.30
1.1
191
7
22.37
1.1
Mix of Aroclor
®
1242-1254-1262 used for resolution check.
Relaxed resolution criteria based on visual inspection of closely eluting congeners.
Rtx
®
-PCB is the newest member of a family of
new polymer phases that undergo rigorous qual-
ity assurance measures to ensure every column
meets exacting standards and that performance
is reproduced from column to column. Specified
column parameters include film thickness, bleed
(at 320ºC), inertness, plates per meter, and
retention time indices. These measures assure
you of the highest quality columns available.