In a quantitative determination device 10 for brominated flame-retardant compounds, a storage section 41 holds a relative response factor 411 representing a relationship of a measured intensity of a compared compound to that of a reference compound selected from target compounds. A standard-sample measurer 43 acquires the intensity of the reference compound by measuring a standard sample, using an analyzer 10, 20. A target-sample measurer 45 acquires the intensities of the reference and compared compounds by measuring a target sample, using the analyzer. A reference-compound quantity determiner 46 determines a quantitative value of the reference compound in the target sample. A compared-compound quantity determiner 47 determines a quantitative value of the compared compound based on the quantity of the reference compound in the standard sample, intensity of the reference compound acquired by the standard-sample measurer, intensity of the compared compound acquired by the target-sample measurer, and relative response factor of the compared compound.

In a quantitative determination device 100 for brominated flame-retardant compounds, a storage section 41 holds a relative response factor 411 representing a relationship of a measured intensity of a compared compound to that of a reference compound selected from target compounds. A standard-sample measurer 43 acquires the intensity of the reference compound by measuring a standard sample, using an analyzer 10, 20. A target-sample measurer 45 acquires the intensities of the reference and compared compounds by measuring a target sample, using the analyzer. A reference-compound quantity determiner 46 determines a quantitative value of the reference compound in the target sample. A compared-compound quantity determiner 47 determines a quantitative value of the compared compound based on the quantity of the reference compound in the standard sample, intensity of the reference compound acquired by the standard-sample measurer, intensity of the compared compound acquired by the target-sample measurer, and relative response factor of the compared compound.

Methods and systems for delivering a liquid sample to an ion source are provided herein: In various aspects, the methods and systems described herein can utilize the flow provided by an LC pump(s) to drive a calibration fluid to an ion source of a mass spectrometer system. In various aspects, methods and systems described herein can additionally or alternatively be placed upstream of an LC column for providing an elution gradient of a plurality of solvents, without requiring a plurality of pumps and/or separate mixing elements.

An automated method of calibrating a chromatography system and analyzing a sample is described. The method includes forming diluted standard solutions that are injected into a chromatography column. The detected peaks can be identified based on a first predetermined calibration ratio associated with the standard solution. Once the chromatography system is calibrated, samples can be chromatographically analyzed where the measured peaks are identified and quantified in an automated manner.

A gas chromatographic method for detecting a first marker and a second marker in a fuel in two channels: (i) a first capillary column coated with polysiloxane and a second capillary column coated with polyethylene glycol; and (ii) a third capillary column coated with polymethylphenylsiloxane and a fourth deactivated capillary column. The steps are: (a) introducing a first sample into the first column to produce a first effluent; (b) introducing only a portion of the first effluent into the second column to produce a second effluent; (c) allowing the second effluent to pass through a mass spectrometer; (d) introducing a second sample into the third column to produce a third effluent; (e) introducing only a portion of the third effluent into the fourth column to produce a fourth effluent; (f) allowing the fourth effluent to pass through a mass spectrometer.

The present disclosure is directed to methods of characterizing a system containing a chromatographic column. The methods can include introducing a sample comprising a positive control and a negative control to the system containing a chromatographic column, wherein the positive control is a sensitive probe that interacts with the system and the negative control is substantially non-interacting with the system; after passing the sample through the chromatographic column, detecting the positive control and the negative control; and determining system suitability by comparing the amount of detected positive control to negative control. In some embodiments, determining system suitability (e.g., inertness of sample to the system) is accomplished by determining a ratio of detected positive control to negative control.