Large-volume injection in gas chromatographic trace analysis using temperature-programmable (PTV) injectors

Importance of the topic

Gas chromatography (GC) is widely used in trace analysis across environmental, biological and industrial fields, often in combination with mass spectrometry for high sensitivity and selectivity. A key limitation of conventional GC injectors is their inability to handle sample volumes above a few microliters without peak distortion or loss of quantitative performance. Large-volume injection using temperature-programmable vaporizing (PTV) injectors addresses this challenge by allowing direct injection of tens to hundreds of microliters of liquid sample. This capability simplifies or replaces laborious preconcentration steps, enhances analyte detectability and enables automated, on-line workflows, making it a valuable advance in modern analytical chemistry.