Flame ionisation detector interface ensures that a blast or stream of water does not extinguish the flame during a run
Temperature programmed liquid chromatography (TPLC) specialist Selerity Technologies has developed a new interface for its Aquachrom 'green machine', the first instrument to use superheated water as the mobile phase for HPLC separations.
The new interface has been designed to take advantage of the full benefits of the flame ionisation detector (FID) by controlling the water eluent as it enters the detector.
The new interface ensures that a blast or stream of water does not extinguish the flame during a run.
Comprising small metal beads sintered inside a stainless steel tubing placed directly into the FID, the restrictor delivers the water in the form of a fine mist so that the flame maintains stability.
This interface can be attached directly onto the outlet of the column to achieve high sensitivity with small diameter columns, or the flow can be split for use with more conventional columns.
The Aquachrom directly applies the principles of gas chromatography theory to the requirements of liquid chromatography technology, providing the added benefits of decreased elution times, increased efficiencies and universal detection.
By using superheated water instead of organic solvents as the mobile phase for chromatographic runs, Selerity says its FID oven is the perfect solution for laboratories looking for more environmentally-friendly instrumentation and green chemistry techniques.
The Aquachrom is capable of isothermal and temperature programming operation with the option of using 1.0, 2.1 or 4.6mm columns.
The amount of the superheated water flowing into the detector, the position of the restrictor within the flame jet, the mixture of detector gases and the temperature of the detector are all essential parameters to the function of this technique.
They can be easily adjusted to obtain the sensitivity that is commonly obtained by gas chromatography using a FID.
