A method for determining the content of menthol in a traditional Chinese medicine composition. The traditional Chinese medicine composition consists of the following medicinal materials: Fructus Forsythia, Flos Lonicerae, Radix Isatidis, Semen Armeniacae Amarum, menthol, Herba Houttuyniae, rheum, Herba Pogostemonis, Rhizoma Dryopteris Crassirhizomae, Rhodiola rosea L., Herba Ephedrae, Radix Glycyrrhizae and gypsum. In the method for determining the content, the content of the menthol in the composition is determined by gas chromatography to effectively control the content of menthol in the composition, and the method can save energy and reduce the costs for analysis.

A multi-capillary column pre-concentration trap for use in various chromatography techniques (e.g., gas chromatography (GC) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS)) is disclosed. In some examples, the trap can include a plurality of capillary columns connected in series in order of increasing strength (i.e., increasing chemical affinity for one or more sample compounds). A sample can enter the trap, flowing from a sample vial to a relatively weak column to the relatively strongest column of the trap by way of any additional columns included in the trap, for example. In some examples, the trap can be heated and backflushed so that the sample exits the trap through the head of the relatively weak column. Next, the sample can be injected into a chemical analysis device for performing the chromatography technique (e.g., GC or GCMS) or it can be injected into a secondary multi-capillary column trap for further concentration.

A gas chromatography (GC) column system includes an insulation tubing, a metallic GC column disposed within the insulation tubing and having an outer diameter that is less than or equal to an inner diameter of the insulation tubing, a first electrode in contact with the metallic GC column, and a second electrode in contact with the metallic GC column on an opposite side of the insulation tubing from the first electrode. The metallic GC column may be heated by applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes. The voltage may be controlled in response to a measured temperature of the metallic GC column.

A crescent PLOT column is disclosed, including a capillary column having an inlet, an outlet, a bore, and an inner surface surrounding the bore and extending between the inlet and the outlet. A layer of particles is localized on a radial portion of the inner surface. The layer of the particles includes a radial thickness decreasing from a center of the radial portion to a periphery of the radial portion, forming a crescent shape in a radial frame of reference. A method for preparing the crescent PLOT column is disclosed, including loading the capillary column with a fluid including a carrier and particles such that the fluid is contained within the capillary column. The capillary column and the fluid contained within the capillary column are subjected to a centrifugal force. The carrier is removed, and a layer of the particles is localized on the radial portion of the inner surface.

A sample vessel assembly to carry out a sorption analysis in a container provided with a cooling liquid. The sample vessel assembly includes a sample vessel configured to be suspended within the container. The sample vessel has a sample holding region at a sample end of the vessel to hold a sample to be analyzed. A wick is disposed on the sample vessel and surrounds the sample holding region. The wick extends from the sample holding region to project toward a bottom of the container and draw the cooling liquid over the sample holding region when the sample vessel is disposed in an analysis position in the container.

Methods, devices, and systems for improving the quality of electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) data are described, as are methods, devices, and systems for achieving improved correlation between chemical separation data and mass spectrometry data.

Open tubular capillary columns for liquid and ion chromatography, based upon an ionically impermeable polyolefin capillary having a bore with a sulfonate-group- or amine-group-functionalized internal surface. The capillary columns may include a coating of ion exchanging nanoparticles electrostatically bound to the functionalized internal surface. The capillary columns may be made by exposing the interior surface to a sulfonating reagent comprising chlorosulfonic acid (CISO.sub.3H), preferably from 85 wt % to 95 wt % chlorosulfonic acid at a process temperature of 20 to 25 C. The interior surface may be subsequently exposed to an asymmetrical diamine to form a sulfonic mid-linkage to the diamine, i.e., to form a sulfonamide-linked, amine-group-functionalized internal surface. The coating may be provided by subsequently exposing the interior surface to an aqueous suspension of ion exchanging nanoparticles to electrostatically bond the ion exchanging nanoparticles to the functionalized internal surface.

A gas chromatography (GC) column system includes an insulation tubing, a metallic GC column disposed within the insulation tubing and having an outer diameter that is less than or equal to an inner diameter of the insulation tubing, a first electrode in contact with the metallic GC column, and a second electrode in contact with the metallic GC column on an opposite side of the insulation tubing from the first electrode. The metallic GC column may be heated by applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes. The voltage may be controlled in response to a measured temperature of the metallic GC column.

Open tubular capillary columns for liquid and ion chromatography, based upon an ionically impermeable polyolefin capillary having a bore with a sulfonate-group- or amine-group-functionalized internal surface. The capillary columns may include a coating of ion exchanging nanoparticles electrostatically bound to the functionalized internal surface. The capillary columns may be made by exposing the interior surface to a sulfonating reagent comprising chlorosulfonic acid (ClSO.sub.3H), preferably from 85 wt % to 95 wt % chlorosulfonic acid at a process temperature of 20 to 25 C. The interior surface may be subsequently exposed to an asymmetrical diamine to form a sulfonic mid-linkage to the diamine, i.e., to form a sulfonamide-linked, amine-group-functionalized internal surface. The coating may be provided by subsequently exposing the interior surface to an aqueous suspension of ion exchanging nanoparticles to electrostatically bond the ion exchanging nanoparticles to the functionalized internal surface.

Disclosed is a proteomic reactor, comprising a pipette tip, an ion exchange resin filler and a solid-phase extraction membrane. The solid-phase extraction membrane is filled into the lower end of the pipette tip, and the ion exchange resin filler is filled into the lower end of the pipette tip and is located above the solid-phase extraction membrane. The ion exchange resin filler is a strong cation exchange resin filler or a strong anion exchange resin filler. Disclosed is a protein chromatographic separation platform comprising the proteomic reactor and a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer. Disclosed is the use of the proteomic reactor and protein chromatographic separation platform in the protein identification and protein quantitative analysis of a cell, a tissue or a blood sample.