• 11 •
Figure 2
Quantitative analysis of Aroclor
®
standards
in less than 6minutes, using anRtx
®
-5GC
column and the GCRacer system.
byMike Goss, Instrument Innovations Engineer, Gary Stidsen, InnovationsManager,
andDonna Lidgett, GCAccessories Product MarketingManager
Fast Analysis of Aroclor
®
PCBs
With the GCRacer* 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 5890GC as fast as a 6890!
Figure 1
The GCRacer allows a temperature program
rate of up to 70°C/min. to bemaintained
up to 350°C!
GC:
Agilent 5890;
Service:
120V/15 amp;
Start Temp:
20°C; set oven to 400°C andmonitor
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. Themost common GC, the Agilent 5890,
has amaximum temperature program rate of
70°C/min., but heating elements in the 5890 only
allow thismaximum temperature program rate to
bemaintained 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 bemaintained
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 themain PC board of the GC.
When the GC Racer programmer detects that the
factory heating elements are not keeping upwith
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 GCRacer components and ease of
installationmake 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 themain
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 GCRacer to your Agilent
5890GC, you can, for example, analyze Aroclor
®
standards in less than 6minutes (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 achievedwill
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 0.5min.), Siltek
™
DrilledUniliner
®
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 1min.), 60°C/min. to
300°C, (hold 5min.)
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.
