An extraction system to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from an aqueous matrix in a time frame
that is compatible with high-speed gas chromatography
(HSGC) has been developed and interfaced to a cryofocusing instrument. Using this system, VOCs are quantitatively extracted in ∼20 s, with no residual signal present
during subsequent analysis. This allows successive injections, as demonstrated by sequential extraction and
separation of four aqueous samples in less than 31/2 min.
Analysis time was minimized by designing the system to
allow concurrent extraction and separation. The entire
sample extract is introduced to the cryofocusing injector
of the HSGC, resulting in excellent sensitivity. Injection
of only 100 μL of an aqueous mixture of VOCs in the low
parts per billion range resulted in chromatographic peaks
with signal-to-noise ratios ranging from 6.5 to 41 depending on analyte. Reproducibility of sequential analyses at
this concentration resulted in less than 5% relative
standard deviation.
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