The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a preconcentrator system for preconcentrating air samples. This preconcentrator system includes a plurality of preconcentrators that preconcentrate the air samples prior to chemical analysis, and a delivery structure comprising a manifold that selectively routes a sample airflow to the plurality of concentrators so that the plurality of preconcentrators receive a sample airflow concurrently or individually.

The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a preconcentrator system for preconcentrating air samples. This preconcentrator system includes a plurality of preconcentrators that preconcentrate the air samples prior to chemical analysis, and a delivery structure comprising a manifold that selectively routes a sample airflow to the plurality of concentrators so that the plurality of preconcentrators receive a sample airflow concurrently or individually.

The invention relates to a system and micro monitor apparatus, a space-, time-, and cost-efficient device to concentrate, identify, and quantify organic compounds in gas environments. The invention further relates to a method centered on gas chromatography for identifying and quantifying organic compounds in gas environments, using air as the carrier gas, without the need for a compressed pre-bottled purified carrier gas.

A method for reducing the variability, as measured by relative standard deviation (RSD), of an analytical testing technique is provided. This improvement in RSD improves the confidence in the values obtained during field testing. The method includes incorporating a focusing agent into the sampling media, which permits providing sampling media such as thermal desorption tubes preloaded with the focusing agent.

Compositions and methods for sample preparation and mass spectrometric analysis of peptide samples obtained from biological samples are provided. The compositions and methods include a tandem column system in which a trap column is in fluid contact with an analytical column such as, for example, a HPLC column. As analytes are eluted from the analytical column, they can be passed to a detector (e.g., a mass spectrometer) for peptide analysis.

A combined analyzer includes a thermal analyzer, a trap, a gas chromatograph, a mass spectrometer, a first flow path to which a gas generated in the thermal analyzer is supplied, a second flow path that branches from the first flow path and is connected to the mass spectrometer, a third flow path that branches from the first flow path and is connected to the trap, a fourth flow path that connects the trap and a column included in the gas chromatograph, and a fifth flow path that connects the column and the mass spectrometer.

A sample is stored in a container (125) disposed upstream of a back-pressure control valve (140). A mixed fluid of carbon dioxide in a supercritical state and a modifier is introduced into the container, and a component contained in the sample is extracted. The extracted component is introduced into a trap column (135) together with the carbon dioxide and the modifier and collected in the trap column. The trap column is loaded with polymer beads as a filler.

A sample is stored in a container (125) disposed upstream of a back-pressure control valve (140). A mixed fluid of carbon dioxide in a supercritical state and a modifier is introduced into the container, and a component contained in the sample is extracted. The extracted component is introduced into a trap column (135) together with the carbon dioxide and the modifier and collected in the trap column. The trap column is loaded with polymer beads as a filler.

A progressive cellular architectures has been presented for vapor-phase chemical analyzers. The progressive cellular architecture consists of a series of heterogeneous micro-gas chromatography cells. Each individual cell targets vapor species within a specific volatility range by using a unique combination of a preconcentrator and a separation column. The cells are connected progressively in series to cover a broad range of volatile analyte chemical vapors. Valves may inadvertently absorb or adsorb and subsequently release target chemical analyte molecules, thereby interfering with quantitative analysis. Therefore, the inlet to the cells is configured without a valve.

A gas chromatography instrument is provided that is capable of analyzing samples both quickly and accurately. The detector includes a first unit and a second unit that alternate between collection mode and desorption mode. This allows one unit to collect the sample, while the other unit desorbs another sample before the units switch operations. The alternating collection and desorption modes allows the detector to generate a data point approximately every thirty seconds, with each alternating unit.