News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 50, 2024
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Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezGCMS Library in the week of 9th December 2024? Check out new documents from the field of the gas phase, especially GC and GC/MS techniques!
👉 SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT GCMS AND RELATED TECHNIQUES
👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into LabRulezLCMS or LabRulezICPMS libraries.
This week we bring you applications and other documents by Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Shimadzu!
1. Shimadzu: Smart Metabolites Database Ver. 2
- Brochure
Supporting food development with newly added sugars and functional compounds
The Smart Metabolites Database ™ is a GC-MS(/MS) database that contains the information needed for analyzing metabolic compounds. Ver. 2 contains an additional number of registered compounds, focusing on plant secondary metabolites, such as catechins and chlorogenic acids, that are garnering interest as functional compounds, for more expansive analysis of food samples. In total, the Smart Metabolites Database Ver. 2 enables simultaneous analysis of more than 600 compounds, making it a powerful tool for marker discovery in metabolomics analysis.
The database also offers dedicated methods for fatty acids, and sugars and provides total support for metabolic compound analysis.
This database was developed through guidance from the Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine, the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Hyogo College of Medicine and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University. Part of this database was obtained as a result of development work related to the project for "Development of fundamental technologies for promoting industrial application of human stem cells and development of fundamental evaluation technologies for practical application of human stem cells" commissioned by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
- Automated, Highly Sensitive Detection of Metabolic Compounds by MRM Measurement
- Time and Labor Savings
- Offers Quantitative Sugar Analysis
- Total Support for Food Metabolomics Analysis
2. Agilent Technologies: Catalytic Ammonia Cracking: Reaction Monitoring Using the Agilent 990 Micro GC System
- Application
Abstract
Ammonia (NH3) decomposition facilitates hydrogen production. Monitoring the reactants and contaminants of ammonia decomposition, including NH3, H2, N2, and H2O, is highly important for catalytic performance as well as activity measurements. In this work, an Agilent 990 Micro GC system configured with an Agilent CP‑Molsieve channel and an Agilent CP‑Volamine channel is demonstrated to analyze NH3, H2, N2, and H2O across a wide concentration range. Notably, the analysis can be completed within one minute. The method's performance, including repeatability, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and carryover was evaluated, and the results were satisfactory.
Introduction
NH3 has tremendous potential as a clean liquid fuel. NH3 may play an essential role in the decarbonization of hard‑to‑abate sectors, such as shipping, power generation, and heavy‑duty transportation, which will accelerate the global journey to net zero and facilitate sustainable development.1 Composed entirely of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3 itself can be employed as an energy source with the potential for zero "tailpipe" carbon emissions. NH3 can also be catalytically decomposed to its constituent elements as a convenient way to transport and store clean hydrogen.2
The ammonia decomposition reaction (2NH3 & N2 + 3H2) facilitates hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2) production. Each mole of NH3 generates two moles of gas (0.5 mol N2, 1.5 mol H2), creating a self‑dilution effect. As a result, a reactor at 50% conversion with an ultrahigh purity NH3 feed will create an effluent stream containing only 33% NH3. Therefore, the conversion must be calculated using Equation 1.
Failure to calculate conversion using Equation 1 may lead to erroneous measurements of catalytic performance and can inflate the perceived activity (for example, 50 versus 67% conversion).
With the constant improvement of emission‑free, high‑energy‑density, ammonia‑based power solutions, there is a pressing need for monitoring reactants and contaminants. Monitoring devices should be capable of measuring the required components (NH3, H2, N2, and H2O) over a wide concentration range. Furthermore, these devices should have a short response time, be inert towards reactants, and, if possible, be able to monitor multiple reactor systems or lines.
For this work, a 990 Micro GC system was used to measure NH3, H2, N2, and H2O simultaneously. While the analysis of N2 and H2 using a Molsieve column in gas chromatography is well established, the methods for analyzing water and ammonia are less developed.
In previous studies, the basic analysis of NH3 (up to concentrations of 20%) was demonstrated using a CP‑Volamine channel. In a six‑month robustness test, the 990 Micro GC system and the CP‑Volamine analytical channel both proved to be effective and durable over an extended period of time.3 The J&W CP‑Volamine column used in the channel is a relatively nonpolar column that is highly effective for the analysis of NH3 or other polar components. A unique deactivation process is applied during manufacturing, which gives higher quality peak shapes for NH3 compared to other column chemistries or deactivation processes. Higher quality peak symmetry can lead to lower detection limits, higher precision, and improved accuracy. The goal of this study was to demonstrate that the 990 Micro GC system can effectively analyze 100% NH3 without compromising performance or robustness.
Conclusion
This application note demonstrates the capabilities of an Agilent 990 Micro GC system for monitoring NH3, N2, H2, and H2O in the feed and product streams of ammonia cracking reactors. The system has been shown to be effective across a wide range of concentrations.
This two‑channel configuration used a 15 m Agilent CP‑Volamine straight channel and a 10 m Agilent CP‑Molsieve backflush channel, performing exceptionally well for NH3, N2, and H2.
The system was equipped with a stream selection valve (SSV), allowing easy switching between the bulk ammonia source, the low concentration reformate side of the reactor, and the calibration gas flows. The SSV also makes it possible to monitor multiple reactors with a single instrument and is amenable to high‑throughput or piloting studies.
This 990 Micro GC setup has demonstrated exceptional repeatability and linearity, a rapid cycle time (< 1 minute), and a robustness towards ammonia as a bulk sample.
3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: How NeverVent technology enables consistent uptime for continued lab operation
- Technical note
Benefit summary
- Eliminates unnecessary downtime
- Maintains productivity
- Simplifies maintenance
- Enables disruption-free ionization type change
- Increases ROI
What is NeverVent technology and how does it work?
Thermo Scientific™ NeverVent ™ technology is unique to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s GC-MS products. It allows for routine maintenance, exchange of ionization mode, and direct probe work to be performed without the need to break the vacuum of the mass spectrometer:
- Removing/replacing the ionization source: Utilizing the vacuum probe interlock (VPI) in combination with an isolation valve, the ionization source can be removed the from the system without venting the MS. The source can either be cleaned or replaced with a spare clean source, and samples can be run without long stabilization times which would be required if the system was vented.
- Changing ionization type: Using the VPI, the ionization source can be replaced with a different type of ionization source, for example, switching from Electron Ionization (EI) to Chemical ionization (CI) within a few minutes.
- Using direct sampling probes: The VPI also allows the use of direct probes on some NeverVent GC-MS systems. This enables direct sampling into the MS system, bypassing the GC separation, and is useful in compound characterization and when analyzing very difficult to volatilize samples like oils or metal complexes.
- Changing the GC column without venting: When performing common column maintenance like trimming, or replacing the column entirely, the V-Lock Source Plug allows the MS to be sealed off from inside the manifold. Columns can be exchanged or maintained without ever breaking vacuum.
