Safeguarding GC-MS Workflows: A Practical Guide to Switching from Helium to Hydrogen Carrier Gas
Discover how adopting hydrogen carrier gas maintains analytical performance and improves laboratory efficiency compared to helium.
By attending this presentation you will:
- Understand the practical steps and safety considerations for converting TD-GC-MS methods to hydrogen carrier gas, including the use of on-demand generators.
- Learn how to maintain method validity, spectral integrity, and regulatory compliance during the switch.
- Discover how hydrogen's chromatographic properties can reduce analytical cycle times by up to 40% and increase daily sample throughput.
- Review real-world case studies demonstrating consistent, reliable results across varied applications, from environmental air monitoring to routine textile testing.
Event Overview
Laboratories worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges with helium carrier gas due to soaring prices and supply chain instability. As a finite resource with a high carbon footprint, helium is prompting analytical chemists to seek sustainable, cost-efficient alternatives. Hydrogen offers a proven, practical solution that can be generated on-demand.
However, transitioning a validated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method raises important questions. In this webinar, leading GC-MS experts from TESTEX, Agilent, and Markes will share their real-world experiences of migrating their GC-MS, and sample introduction systems such as thermal desorption, from helium to hydrogen. The presentation will address common analytical concerns head-on, including system safety, spectral fidelity for library matching and method validation.
The speakers will demonstrate how adopting hydrogen carrier gas maintains analytical performance and actively enhances laboratory efficiency compared to helium. Attendees will see data showcasing equivalent or increased sensitivity and chromatographic resolution, and significantly faster run times that boost overall sample throughput.
Who should attend?
- Laboratory managers and directors looking to control operational costs and future-proof their gas supply.
- Analytical chemists and GC-MS operators seeking practical advice on method translation and validation.
- Quality assurance professionals focused on maintaining regulatory compliance during instrument updates.
What you need to know
Start times:
- Broadcast 1: 10 am BST (London/Lisbon) / 11 am CEST (Paris/Berlin) / 2:30 pm IST (New Delhi)
- Broadcast 2: 9 am PDT (Los Angeles) / 11 am CDT (Chicago) / 12 pm EDT (New York)
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Presenter: Anika Maier (Technical Expert, TESTEX AG, Zurich, Switzerland)
Anika Maier is a Technical Expert at TESTEX AG in Zurich, Switzerland, an international testing and certification institute specializing in textile and leather testing, product safety, sustainability, and OEKO-TEX certifications.
Building on her background as a laboratory technician, with previous roles at Celerion and SGS Institut Fresenius, and her studies in Chemical Engineering, Anika has developed extensive expertise in gas chromatography, VOC method development, thermal desorption, and emissions testing. She is highly experienced with a wide range of instrumentation, including TD, GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, HRMS, and ICP-MS.
Her current work focuses on laboratory optimization, troubleshooting analytical workflows, and driving automation and innovation projects. Notably, this includes the development and validation of analytical methods for textiles, consumer products, and chemical emissions, as well as successfully implementing hydrogen as a carrier gas for routine TD-GC-MS, GC-MS and GC-MS/MS applications.
Presenter: Jess Berger (Group Product Manager, Markes, UK)
Jess is the Product Manager for the Markes Group, covering thermal desorption and sample introduction technologies for GC-MS. She joined Markes in 2012 after earning her chemistry degree from the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales). Starting her career in inside sales, she progressed to become Product Manager. Jess’ extensive experience, combined with a recent MSc in International Innovation Management from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, has given her a comprehensive understanding of the technology and its many benefits for GC analysis.
Presenter: Andreas Kapaklis (GC and GC-MS Product Specialist (CH/A), Agilent)
Dr Andreas Kapaklis is a GC and GC-MS Product Specialist for Switzerland and Austria at Agilent Technologies. Prior to joining Agilent in early 2026, he spent eight years as a Laboratory Team Leader at TESTEX in Zurich. There, he led a team of technicians and was responsible for the laboratory's GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and GC-HRMS systems. From 2011 to 2018, he served as Head of Quality Control and Management at the Schuler wine house in Central Switzerland. He holds a PhD in the analysis of wine aroma from Justus Liebig University Giessen.
