Industry Roundup: Air Products Advances Gas Chromatography Performance

Air Products is putting its BIP® gas technology forward as a reliable supply option for one of the most purity-sensitive tasks in the analytical laboratory: gas chromatography (GC).

The technology pairs ultra-high purity gas with an integrated purification system and a unique valve design. According to the company, the result is better analytical accuracy, less baseline noise, and lower detection limits for laboratories that depend on consistent carrier and detector gases.

A Purifier Inside the Cylinder

BIP stands for "Built-In Purifier." Instead of relying on a separate purification train between the cylinder and the instrument, each BIP cylinder carries its own self-contained purifier bed and a specially designed valve.¹

The cylinder is filled with ultra-high purity gas through a flow path that bypasses the purifier. The gas is then cleaned a final time as it is drawn out through the purifier bed, which removes oxygen, moisture, hydrocarbons, halocarbons, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. A check valve protects the purifier and cylinder from back-contamination at the outlet.¹

Air Products states that BIP gases reach impurity levels as low as 10 ppb total hydrocarbons, 10 ppb oxygen and 20 ppb moisture, up to 300 times purer than conventional gases.¹

Why Purity Matters in Gas Chromatography

In GC, an inert carrier gas sweeps a sample through a narrow separation column to the detector. Trace impurities in that gas can show up as noise or false "ghost" peaks and can degrade the column itself.²

Air Products says BIP cylinders address this in three ways:

• Improved analytical accuracy, from consistent purity at the point of use.
• Reduced baseline noise, giving cleaner chromatograms.
• Lower detection limits, so laboratories can measure smaller quantities with confidence.

Lower oxygen and moisture levels also reduce column bleed and extend column life, cutting replacement costs and downtime. Laboratories need no new hardware to switch; cylinder sizes and connections match standard cylinders, and Air Products regenerates the purifiers, so users have nothing to dispose of.¹

BIP technology is available for the four gases laboratories use most—helium, nitrogen, hydrogen, and argon—which covers GC carrier, make-up, and fuel gas needs, with argon also serving ICP spectroscopy.³ For laboratories where consistent purity and dependable performance are essential, the company positions BIP as a reliable, low-maintenance gas supply.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a global industrial gases company founded in 1940 and headquartered in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. It supplies industrial gases, related equipment, and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, medical, and food. It also designs equipment for air separation, natural gas liquefaction, and helium and hydrogen storage and transport.⁴

The company is led by CEO Eduardo Menezes, who took the role in February 2025 and has refocused Air Products on its core industrial gases business. On November 5, 2026, Air Products reported fiscal 2026 sales of $13.0 billion, up 8% from the prior year.⁵ It operates in approximately 50 countries.

For more information on BIP technology, visit airproducts.com.

References

1. BIP® Technology. Air Products UK website. https://www.airproducts.co.uk/gases/bip-range (accessed 2026-11-09).
2. Process Engineering: Purer gases cut costs. Process Engineering website.https://processengineering.co.uk/article/1274839/purer-gases-cut-costs (accessed 2026-11-09).
3. LCGC Staff.Industry Roundup: Ultra-High Purity BIP Argon for Analytical Applications.Chromatography Online website. https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/industry-roundup-ultra-high-purity-bip-argon-for-analytical-applications (accessed 2026-11-09).
4. Air Products Company Profile. BCC Research website. https://www.bccresearch.com/company-index/profile/air-products-and-chemicals-inc (accessed 2026-11-09).
5. Air Products Fiscal 2026 Results (Nov. 5, 2026). Finviz website. https://finviz.com/news/416547/air-products-reports-fiscal-2026-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-results-provides-fiscal-2027-guidance (accessed 2026-11-09).