Industrial Solvents on Equity-1701

Significance of the topic

This application note addresses the analytical challenge of separating and quantifying a broad range of industrial solvents in a single gas chromatographic run. Accurate profiling of volatile organic compounds is essential for process control in chemical manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and compliance with safety regulations. The choice of stationary phase greatly influences resolution, analysis time, and overall robustness of solvent analysis.

Aims and study overview

The primary goal was to evaluate the performance of an intermediate‐polarity capillary column (Equity-1701) for the separation of 59 commonly used industrial solvents. This study compares its chromatographic behavior against standard nonpolar and polar columns, demonstrating suitability for complex solvent mixtures.

Methodology and instrumentation

Chromatographic conditions were optimized to achieve complete separation of all analytes:

• Column: Equity-1701, 30 m × 0.32 mm ID, 1.0 µm film thickness
• Carrier gas: Helium, 25 cm/s constant linear velocity at 35 °C
• Oven program: 35 °C hold for 8 min, ramp 4 °C/min to 130 °C, hold 2 min
• Injection: Split 200:1 of 0.5 µL neat solvent mixture, inlet at 250 °C in split cup liner
• Detector: Flame ionization detector at 250 °C

Used instrumentation:

• Gas chromatograph model: GC 9499
• Data system: Acquisition System GC 9499

Main results and discussion

The Equity-1701 column delivered sharp, symmetric peaks across a wide polarity range, resolving all 59 solvents in under 50 minutes. Key observations included:

• Baseline resolution of structural isomers such as o-, m- and p-xylenes
• Excellent separation of chlorinated solvents and alcohols with minimal tailing
• Stable retention times and reproducible peak shapes over multiple injections

Compared to nonpolar methylsiloxane and polar polyethylene glycol columns, the intermediate polarity phase provided balanced selectivity, reducing coelution encountered on single‐phase alternatives.

Benefits and practical applications

This method offers several advantages for routine solvent analysis:

• Single‐column solution for mixed‐polarity solvent panels
• Simplified method development and reduced column switching
• High throughput with reliable quantification for QA/QC laboratories
• Applicability to environmental monitoring and occupational safety testing

Future trends and potential applications

Emerging advances may further enhance solvent analysis workflows:

• Coupling with mass spectrometry for confirmatory analysis and trace‐level detection
• Faster temperature programming and advanced oven cooling to reduce cycle times
• Development of hybrid stationary phases for even wider selectivity
• Integration with automated sample preparation and AI‐driven data processing

Conclusion

The Equity-1701 column demonstrated robust, high‐resolution separation of 59 industrial solvents in a single GC-FID method. Its intermediate polarity provides a versatile alternative to nonpolar and polar columns, streamlining solvent analysis for industrial, environmental, and regulatory laboratories.