Kenneth Lynam

The advantages of using software to optimize GC methods with practical examples for pesticide analysis are described.

Method translation software enables conversion and improvement of GC methods.

Semivolatile analyses using methods similar to US EPA method 8270 (1) are important in environmental laboratories worldwide. A number of acidic compounds such as benzoic acid or 2,4-dinitrophenol and strong bases such as pyridine or benzidine are active species found in the semivolatile sample set. These highly polar species are particularly susceptible to adsorption into active surfaces in the sample flow path, including the column itself. System and column inertness are critical for effective analysis of these active chemical species.