co2 ch4 n2o on Varian 3800:any advice on upgrading hardware?

[cfnichol]

Hi. We have a ~2002 Varian 3800 setup with capillary columns, FID and ECD, Star software, a 1077 injector (but perhaps an 1177), a combi-pal autosampler. We wish to change it over to packed columns for greenhouse gas work (co2, ch4, n2O at near atmospheric concentrations). We seem to have the option of going to 3 detectors by adding a TCD and lots of new valving. Or, we can go the route of using the ECD and adding a methanizer before the FID.

Any suggestions? We are on a limited budget, so getting the factory to do the conversion or simply buy a new machine is not really an option. Any suggestions for good places to find used TCD's, valves, or parts in general. Also, any suggestions for companies in Western Canada who might be good for helping us with the hardware changeover.

Thanks very much in advance for any advice you might have.

Craig

[chromatographer1]

If I were doing this, and I could afford an Ionization Detector [ Valco, AIC, GOW-MAC ], that is the direction I would go. A single detector with high sensitivity, good linearity, and easily installed with few problems compared to an ECD and/or a methanizer/FID configuration.

AICMM (Matthew has many posts on the Forum) can assist you with AIC products, Gow-Mac and Valco have easily discovered numbers to assist you in your quest for a high sensitivity detector for these analytes. I have only used Valco's pHID in the lab but I understand the others can also be good solutions.

Good luck,

Rod

[AICMM]

cfnichol,

First, you are really going to want to install valves to do the injections if you want to do this right. You're ready for that, right? Second, an HID (PDD by Valco or DBD by my company, AIC) can replace the FID to get you low concentrations of CO, CO2, and methane. I have not seen a Gow Mac HID as a stand-alone product for other GC's. Or you can install the methanizer before the FID to get not as low levels of CO, CO2. Cost will probably be pretty comparable actually. TCD will probably not get you low enough.

The other thing you need to take into account (in switching from capillary to packed) is that your current flow control is for splitless/split and you are moving to packed. So, at a minimum, you will need to install packed pressure controllers.

If you want to drop me a line, I can talk your ear off. aicmm at flash.net

Best regards,

AICMM

[AICMM]

cfnichol,

Did you get my e-mail with comments?

Best regards,

AICMM