Nicholas H. Snow | Authors

The common measures of stationary phase polarity—McReynolds constants and the polarity scale—are not always accurate predictors of retentiveness or selectivity in GC.

This instalment examines the idea of stationary phase polarity in detail. The assumptions inherent in the most popular stationary phase polarity-evaluating systems—McReynolds constants and the polarity scale—are discussed.

The ECD and its principles of operation are reviewed, and the general tradeoffs in detection between selectivity, ease of use, and sensitivity discussed.

The electron capture detector (ECD) for GC is still used relatively unmodified today. But using it effectively means understanding the tradeoffs between selectivity, ease of use, and sensitivity.

Key insights on how to get the most out of gas chromatography for the most difficult problem solving, the best quantitative analysis, and the highest data integrity.

We pass on valuable lessons shared by the six GC speakers at ChromTalks 2022.