Cryo Trap System - CTS 1 - Specifications

Importance of the topic

The use of cryogenic trapping in gas chromatography is a powerful approach to enhance analyte focusing and improve detection limits. By temporarily immobilizing volatile components at low temperatures, this technique enables concentration of trace compounds prior to high-resolution separation and detection.

Objectives and overview

This document presents the GERSTEL Cryo Trap System CTS 1 and the Cryo Trap Enrichment System CTE 1. It describes their design principles, operating modes, system integration, and key performance specifications. The goal is to illustrate how these systems concentrate analytes between a pre-column and an analytical column in a dual-oven GC setup for superior sensitivity.

Methodology and instrumentation

The core of the CTS 1 is a 5 cm combined zone capable of rapid heating and cooling, flanked by two 24.5 cm transfer lines. Cooling is achieved by liquid nitrogen at 1.0–2.0 bar pressure. Temperature programming offers two ramps with heating rates from 0.5 to 20 °C/s, initial and hold temperatures ranging from –150 to 400 °C, and maximum hold times up to 650 min per step. The CTE 1 adds a pneumatic module for venting pre-column effluent and independent control of the analytical column flow.

Instrumentation used

• GERSTEL CTS 1 cryo trap unit
• GERSTEL CTE 1 enrichment module
• Liquid nitrogen Dewar (1.0–2.0 bar)
• C505 or C506 controller with GERSTEL MAESTRO software
• Agilent 6890 or 7890 gas chromatograph
• Capillary columns (1 mm outer diameter)

Main results and discussion

The CTS 1 provides synchronized hardware start signals for dual-oven operation. Temperature control within 15–35 °C and humidity tolerance up to 60% ensures robust performance. The rapid ramp rates and low initial temperatures enable trapping of volatile analytes over multiple injections, followed by sharp desorption into the analytical column. The CTE 1 enrichment system further improves selectivity by diverting unwanted matrix constituents via the venting module.

Benefits and practical applications

• Enhanced sensitivity through analyte pre-concentration
• Lower detection limits for trace volatile organic compounds
• Seamless integration with existing GC/MS workflows
• Single-method control of dual-oven GC systems
• Flexibility for environmental, petrochemical, flavor/fragrance, and QA/QC analyses

Future trends and potential applications

Advances may include integration of alternative cooling technologies (Peltier or Stirling), fully automated sample handling, faster GC cycles, and tighter coupling with two-dimensional GC–MS for comprehensive volatile profiling. Software developments will likely focus on adaptive temperature programming and real-time trap diagnostics.

Conclusion

The GERSTEL CTS 1 and CTE 1 systems deliver precise cryogenic trapping and enrichment capabilities that significantly improve the sensitivity and performance of multidimensional GC analyses. Their modular design and seamless software integration make them valuable tools for demanding analytical laboratories.

Reference

No literature citations were provided in the source document.