76% Increase in Throughput for Determination of Semi-Volatiles Using Narrow-Bore GC Columns and Rapid Data Acquisition with a Highly Sensitive Quadrupole GCMS System

Laboratories analyzing semi-volatile organics by methods such as Method 625 and Method 8270 typically use 0.25 mm ID capillary columns. Depending on method conditions, simply running the required quality control (QC) samples can consume a significant portion of a 12-hour shift, leaving less time for analysis of revenue-generating samples. A cycle time for a single injection on a standard single quadrupole Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) may be as long as 30 minutes. Thus, in a 12-hour tune cycle with QC, including a continuing calibration verification (CCV), method blank (MB), laboratory control sample (LCS), laboratory control sample duplicate (LCSD), matrix spike (MS), and a matrix spike duplicate (MSD), per analytical batch you may only have time for 18 actual samples before having to verify the tune. Fast GC uses narrow bore (0.15mm ID) columns, rapid oven heating and cooling, and rapid data acquisition to decrease runtime. A sensitive quadrupole mass spectrometer is necessary for identification and quantitation of target compounds at sub-nanogram levels. In addition, fast mass-spectral scanning and data acquisition is required because of the very narrow chromatographic peaks produced under these conditions. The Shimadzu GCMS-QP2020 is a new, sensitive, fast-scanning single quadrupole GCMS system capable of significantly reducing the run time for EPA methods 625 and 8270.