News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 13, 2026
LabRulez: News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 13, 2026
Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezGCMS Library in the week of 23rd March 2026? Check out new documents from the field of the gas phase, especially GC and GC/MS techniques!
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This week we bring you application notes by Agilent Technologies, Shimadzu, and Thermo Fisher Scientific and presentation by MDCW / Mount Royal University!
1. Agilent Technologies: Analysis of Epichlorohydrin in Drinking Water
Using the Tekmar Atomx XYZ P&T, Agilent 8890 GC, and Agilent 5977C GC/MSD
- Application note
- Full PDF for download
The Tekmar Atomx XYZ is Teledyne LABS' most advanced P&T system and is based on the time-tested Atomx instrument platform. The concentrator's efficient trap cooling design reduces sample cycle time by as much as 14% over the previous model. Combined with its 84-position soil and water autosampler, the result is more samples tested per 12-hour period. An innovative moisture control system (MCS) improves water vapor removal, thereby reducing peak interference and increasing GC column life span. In addition to other refinements, the Atomx XYZ incorporates a precision-machined valve manifold block to reduce potential leak sources and ensure the system is both reliable and robust.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates the capability of the Teledyne LABS Tekmar Atomx XYZ P&T concentrator to process low‑level ECH in drinking water samples, with detection performed using an Agilent 8890 GC and Agilent 5977C GC/MSD. The linearity of the calibration curve from 10 to 500 ppt passed method requirements, including verification of the initial calibration curve. The 10 ppt standard passed the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) within ± 50% of its true value, while all other calibration levels (> LLOQ) passed within ± 30%. The blank following the highest point in the calibration curve passed method carryover requirements by remaining below half pf the LLOQ. Furthermore, the application proved robust during a long‑term study with 40 samples of a 30 ppt ECH standard, achieving 4.3% precision and 92% accuracy of the recovery.
2. MDCW / Mount Royal University: Selection, Optimization, and Validation of Thermal Desorption for analysis of VOCs and PAHs in Combustion Emissions
- Presentation
- Full PDF for download
The study focused on optimizing and validating thermal desorption (TD) as a sampling technique for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) generated during combustion emissions, particularly from wildland fires. Smoke from these fires contains chemically complex mixtures of pollutants that can persist in the atmosphere and impact air quality over large geographic regions. Traditional sampling methods often emphasize particulate-bound compounds, while gas-phase organics—critical for understanding secondary organic aerosol formation—may be underrepresented. Thermal desorption was evaluated as a modern alternative capable of capturing both gas- and particle-phase compounds.
To determine optimal sampling conditions, multiple sorbent tube configurations were compared using a mixture of 41 standard VOC and PAH compounds across various concentration levels. Performance metrics included analyte recovery, linearity, and detection limits. The results showed that multibed sorbent tubes significantly expanded analyte coverage and improved retention of combustion-related species. Additionally, factorial studies investigating conditioning and desorption parameters revealed that reducing temperature or duration did not improve artefact removal or analyte recovery, highlighting the importance of robust standardized conditions.
The methodology was further evaluated through storage stability trials and real smoke emission sampling experiments. Samples demonstrated stable analyte retention for up to 35 days, supporting the suitability of TD sampling for field studies requiring delayed analysis. Validation experiments involving combustion of white spruce and analysis by TD-GC×GC-ToFMS produced highly detailed chromatographic data, identifying over 1 600 peaks per sample. Approximately 78 % of detected compounds fell within the C6–C14 range, while 19 of the 41 target analytes—including all PAHs and BTEX species—were successfully identified.
Overall, the study confirmed that thermal desorption combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography offers a powerful approach for characterizing complex combustion emissions. The optimized multibed sorbent strategy and validated sampling workflow enable more accurate profiling of smoke-derived VOCs and PAHs, providing valuable insights into air quality impacts and atmospheric chemistry processes associated with large-scale wildfires.
3. Shimadzu: Analysis of Base Material and Additives in Tire Rubber
- Application note
- Full PDF for download
User Benefits
- With a split FPD(S) and MS detector system, sulfur compounds can be detected selectively and with high sensitivity by the FPD detector while being qualitatively analyzed simultaneously by the MS detector, which significantly reduces the time and effort required.
- The LabSolutions GCMS system makes it easy to configure settings for complex detector splitting.
- With evolved gas analysis, polymer materials can be inferred from thermogram average mass spectra.
The rubber used in tires for automobiles, bicycles, and other types of tires needs to have high resistance to the weather, heat, and wear for long periods of use. But as the rubber wears, it mixes with mineral particles from the road to generate “tire and road wear particles” (TRWP). TRWP matter is known to be a type of microplastic that causes marine plastic pollution.
TRWP can contain a large variety of substances, such as vulcanizing accelerators, antioxidants (such as 6PPD), and plasticizers, and when released into the environment, TRWP substances can be harmful to ecosystems. Therefore, to reduce the quantity of TRWP matter released, it is important to increase the wear resistance of tires. To achieve this, an assessment of the base materials and additives in rubber is essential. Among additives, vulcanizing accelerators in particular improve the physical properties of tires by promoting sulfur vulcanization reactions.
This article analyzes the base materials in tire rubber and additives, such as vulcanizing accelerators and other sulfur components.
Analysis Process Flow
A pyrolysis gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (Py-GC-MS) system was used, as specified in the international standard ISO/TS 21396. 1) Simply placing cut-up samples in a sample cup (Fig. 1) enables direct analysis of samples without pretreatment. The analytical process flow isindicated in Fig. 2.
- Pyrolyzer Unit: EGA/PY-3030D Multi-Shot Pyrolyzer AS-1020E Auto-Shot Sampler (Frontier Laboratories Ltd.)
- GC-MS: GCMS-QP2020 NX
Inferring Polymers
The evolved gas analysis (EGA-MS) method uses pyrolyzer (Py) and mass spectrometer (MS) units linked via a deactivated metal tube to heat samples to continuously increasing temperatures to generate gases from the samples, which are then detected by the MS.
Samples (0.2 mg) of tire rubber fragments were placed in sample cups, with fiberglass wool inserted to prevent them from dropping, and then analyzed. Analysis conditions are indicated in Table 1.
Thermograms obtained from that analysis are shown in Fig. 5. Originally, the horizontal axis of the thermogram is the time, but the heating temperature of the pyrolyzer can be calculated from the time. Peaks from polymer thermal decomposition products appear across the range of 370 to 500 °C. The average MS spectrum for that peak range and the results from inferring the polymer are shown in Fig. 6. Based on the F-Search EGA-MS Polymer Library (Frontier Laboratories Ltd.), the base material in the tire rubber was inferred to be styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).
Enlarging the thermogram shows a shoulder peak between 240 and 370 °C. Assuming that the shoulder peak originated from an additive, a thermal desorption analysis was carried out with the temperature range from 60 to 370 °C.
Conclusion
By combining FPD (S) that selectively and sensitively detects sulfur compounds, with Py-GC-MS, sulfur compounds in tire rubber were easily detected and simultaneously analyzed qualitatively by the MS.
4. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Natural Gas Analysis in Hazardous Locations Using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometric Modeling
- Application note
- Full PDF for download
Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed primarily of methane, with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and impurities. Formed from ancient marine organisms under heat and pressure, natural gas is used as a combustion source for heating, electricity generation, vehicle fuel, and as a feedstock in chemical production. It is considered to be a cleanerburning alternative to other fossil fuels, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.
The measurement and analysis of natural gas is a vital process that demands both speed and precision. Accurate natural gas measurements have far-reaching implications. They ensure revenue accuracy and facilitate fair financial transactions between producers, which is crucial for the economic integrity of the industry. Additionally, these measurements are essential for regulatory compliance, as they ensure adherence to stringent government and industrial standards.
Operational efficiency of gas-using industries is also impacted by accurate natural gas measurement. By obtaining trustworthy and precise data, operators can optimize their processes, reduce waste, and ultimately enhance the overall efficiency of their operations. Furthermore, the measurement of natural gas plays a significant role in safety assurance and environmental protection. By accurately measuring methane content and detecting any irregularities in the natural gas stream, operators can address potential safety hazards and mitigate environmental issues, thereby promoting safer and more sustainable practices within the industry.
Raman spectroscopy is an exceptionally powerful tool that can effectively address the myriad challenges associated with natural gas measurements. The MarqMetrix All-In-One X Process Raman Analyzer, when equipped with a flow cell or an immersion probe, offers the capability for non-invasive, in-situ measurements of natural gas directly within pipelines or process equipment. This innovative approach eliminates the need for traditional sampling systems or loops, thereby significantly reducing both the cost and operational disruptions typically associated with gas sampling.
The versatility of the MarqMetrix All-In-One X analyzer is underscored by its ability to operate reliably across a wide range of conditions, performing consistently under varying temperature and pressure regimes. Moreover, the hazardous location configuration enhances the instrument’s capabilities even further, enabling the analyzer to function safely and effectively in some of the harshest and most hazardous operating environments. This robust configuration ensures that accurate and reliable natural gas measurements can be obtained even in extreme conditions, providing a critical tool for maintaining operational efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Results
The spectra produced, along with the reference data obtained from the certificates of analysis accompanying the gas cylinders, were imported into SOLO software. Using this dataset, Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression models were constructed for each of the hydrocarbons present in the natural gas standards. The models underwent rigorous optimization processes, focusing on variable selection, determination of latent variables, and appropriate preprocessing techniques.
Variable selection emerged as a crucial step in the modeling process due to the significant covariance observed among the different hydrocarbons within the natural gas standards. By carefully selecting specific regions of the spectra that correspond exclusively to the hydrocarbons of interest in each model, the independence and relevance of the information utilized in the model were significantly enhanced. This careful selection process ensures that the PLS regression models are robust and accurate, leading to more reliable predictions and analyses of the hydrocarbon content in the natural gas samples.
Given the lower concentration and relatively lower intensities of the butane and pentane peaks, a wider range of variables were selected to build the models.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the MarqMetrix All-In-One X Process Raman Analyzer along with a Thermo Scientific™ MarqMetrix™ FlowCell™ Sampling Optic, both developed to be operated in ATEX Zone 0, proved to be a highly effective solution for collecting and analyzing the spectra of natural gas standards. The resulting data produced robust PLS regression models for each hydrocarbon component. Careful variable selection and optimization enhanced the independence and relevance of the models, resulting in accurate and reliable predictions. The performance of these models demonstrated excellent linearity, resolution, and sensitivity across the range of natural gas components. This study underscores the viability and applicability of Raman spectroscopy, coupled with advanced chemometric modeling, for precise and reliable natural gas analysis in hazardous environments.
