Analysis of Organic solvent - No. 485

Significance of the topic

Accurate monitoring of volatile organic solvents in environmental samples is essential for assessing pollution in water and air. Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) provides sensitive, reliable quantification of these compounds. The SH-Wax capillary column offers a polar stationary phase optimized for separating a broad range of small organic solvents, enabling rapid environmental screening and compliance with regulatory standards.

Objectives and study overview

This application note demonstrates the performance of a 30 m × 0.53 mm I.D., 1.00 µm SH-Wax column coupled to GC-FID for analyzing twelve common organic solvents. The aim was to achieve baseline separation within a short run time, maintain high repeatability, and deliver quantitative data suitable for environmental monitoring.

Methodology and used instrumentation

The instrument setup included:

• GC system: Shimadzu SH Series GC with FID
• Column: SH-Wax, 30 m × 0.53 mm I.D., df = 1.00 µm (P/N: 221-75899-30)
• Oven temperature program: 40 °C (3 min), ramp at 20 °C/min to 200 °C
• Injection: Split mode 1:20, injection temperature 250 °C
• Carrier gas: Helium at constant linear velocity 67.1 cm/s (33.2 kPa at 40 °C)
• FID temperature: 250 °C

Main results and discussion

The optimized method achieved complete separation of twelve solvents—methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, acetone, dichloromethane, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran (THF), benzene, carbon tetrachloride, heptane, and toluene—in under 7 minutes. Key observations:

• Early-eluting polar solvents (methanol to THF) displayed sharp peaks with minimal tailing.
• Nonpolar analytes (benzene to toluene) were resolved with good baseline separation.
• Reproducible retention times and peak areas supported quantitative reliability.

Benefits and practical applications

This rapid GC-FID method delivers:

• High throughput analysis for environmental laboratories
• Sensitive detection of trace-level solvents in water and air samples
• Robust performance with minimal method development

Applications include routine monitoring of industrial effluents, ambient air quality studies, and process control in chemical manufacturing.

Future trends and applications

Advances in column technologies and detector integration will further reduce analysis times and enhance sensitivity. Potential developments include coupling with mass spectrometry for confirmatory analysis, automated sample preparation for high-volume testing, and real-time field deployable GC systems for on-site environmental monitoring.

Conclusion

The SH-Wax GC-FID method provides a fast, reliable approach for separating and quantifying a wide range of volatile organic solvents. Its combination of rapid analysis, reproducibility, and ease of use makes it an excellent choice for environmental laboratories focused on water and air pollutant assessment.

References

No external references were provided in the original document.