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Gas chromatography (GC) is a technique for separating and analyzing volatile compounds in a sample. Its primary purpose is to identify and quantify components in complex mixtures, making it essential in fields such as environmental analysis, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals. GC is also called vapor-phase chromatography (VPC) or gas-liquid partition chromatography (GLPC).

In GC, a sample is vaporized and mixed with an inert carrier gas (the mobile phase), which transports it through a column. The column is packed or coated with a stationary phase, either a liquid or solid material. Compounds in the sample are separated based on their boiling points, and compounds with lower boiling points elute first. The elution order- the sequence in which the compound exits the column- is visible on a chromatogram, where each peak corresponds to a specific compound.

There are two main types of gas chromatography:

1. Gas-liquid chromatography (GLC): In GLC, the stationary phase is a nonvolatile, thermally stable, chemically inert liquid, while the mobile phase is a carrier gas, typically helium. This technique is commonly used to separate compounds based on their boiling points.

2. Gas-solid chromatography (GSC): GSC uses solid particulates like diatomaceous earth as the stationary phase and a carrier gas like helium as the mobile phase. GSC is primarily used for permanent gases and small polar molecules not retained by gas-liquid columns due to severe tailing of elution peaks.

Tags

Gas ChromatographyGCVolatile CompoundsEnvironmental AnalysisPharmaceuticalsPetrochemicalsVapor phase ChromatographyGas liquid Partition ChromatographyInert Carrier GasStationary PhaseElution OrderChromatogramGas liquid ChromatographyGLCGas solid ChromatographyGSCBoiling Points

From Chapter 11:

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11.11 : Gas Chromatography: Introduction

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11.1 : Chromatographic Methods: Terminology

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11.2 : Chromatographic Methods: Classification

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11.3 : Analyte Adsorption and Distribution

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11.4 : Diffusion on Chromatography Columns

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11.5 : Chromatographic Resolution

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11.6 : Column Efficiency: Plate Theory

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11.7 : Column Efficiency: Rate Theory

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11.8 : Optimizing Chromatographic Separations

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11.9 : Silica Gel Column Chromatography: Overview

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11.10 : Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC): Overview

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11.12 : Gas Chromatography: Types of Columns and Stationary Phases

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11.13 : Gas Chromatography: Sample Injection Systems

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11.14 : Gas Chromatography: Overview of Detectors

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11.15 : Gas Chromatography: Types of Detectors-I

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