A plug unit configured for use in high performance liquid chromatography is described. The plug unit comprises a capillary comprising a capillary distal face; a sealing element, wherein at least a portion of the sealing element is located distal from the capillary distal face; and a biasing element configured to bias the capillary towards the sealing element.

The disclosed system and method improve measurement of trace volatile chemicals, such as by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). A first trapping system can include a plurality of capillary columns in series and a focusing column fluidly coupled to a first detector. The first trapping system can retain and separate compounds in a sample, including C3 hydrocarbons and compounds heavier than C3 hydrocarbons (e.g., up to C12 hydrocarbons, or compounds having a boiling point around 250° C.), and can transfer the compounds from the focusing column to the first detector. A second trapping system can receive compounds that the first trapping system does not retain, and can include a packed trap and two columns. The second trapping system can remove water from the sample and can separate and detect compounds including C2 hydrocarbons and Formaldehyde.

A gas chromatography device for peak focusing of one or more target analytes is provided that include a chromatographic column with an inlet and an outlet. A stationary phase is deposited inside the chromatographic column and has a positive thickness gradient. The stationary phase extends from the inlet to the outlet and has a first thickness at the inlet of the chromatographic column and a second thickness at the outlet of the chromatographic column. The second thickness is at least about 10% greater than the first thickness. Methods of peak focusing in a gas chromatography device, method of verifying peak focusing in a gas chromatography device and creating a gas chromatography device having a chromatographic column with a positive thickness gradient are also provided.

A flow cell for a liquid chromatography detector comprises a substrate formed of a glass material; a fluidic channel extending through the substrate; and at least one gas filled region formed in the substrate along at least a portion of a length of the fluidic channel. A portion of the glass material separates the fluidic channel and the gas filled region. An interface between the gas filled region and the portion of the glass material separating the fluidic channel and the gas filled region enables total internal reflection of light propagating along the fluidic channel.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a multicapillary packing for an exchange of material including the formation, by a 3D printing method, of a monolith having a porous mass through which a plurality of parallel channels passes, opening on an inlet face and an outlet face of the packing, the 3D printing method being chosen among: selective laser sintering, molten wire deposition, stereolithography, binder spraying and spraying of material, the porous mass being suitable for allowing the diffusion of material to be exchanged between the channels.

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.

A method and apparatus involving the configuration of an open capillary channel for size-based separation of analytes is described. The open capillary channel contains numerous turns of defined angles separated by intervening linear or curvilinear segments of capillary tubing. The configuration of the channel allows analyte differentiation based on diffusion coefficients and thus separates analytes by size.

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 capillary column includes a fused silica tubing and a polyimide coating over the fusing silica tubing. Additionally, the capillary column further includes a first plurality of integrated ferrules positioned along at least a first portion of the fused silica tubing and spaced apart from one another by a first fixed interval.

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for detecting a substance in a sample gas. The methods and systems include separating the substance of interest in the sample gas, and introducing the separated sample gas into a detector. The systems and methods further include performing an analysis of the substance of interest.