Blood alcohol column for GC headspace

[usv]

I have been trying to find out what the packing material is for these columns (like Restek BAC1& 2, DB and ZB-Alc 1&2). It is not very clear from manufacturer websites. Are they carbox baseed, cyanopropyl based or something else. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

[krickos]

Hi

Seems like they are a bit secreative about the phase composition (properitary phase). What I do know is that those columns are classified as "medium polar" as such I think you can rule out polar phases such as PEG/WAX, I would guess that they may have played around with the cyanopropanol mixture or something similar.
Again only guessing.

http://www.chem.agilent.com/Library/pos ... Poster.pdf

[usv]

Thanks. I have always wondered why the information is so limited for these columns, especially given their intended use and importance in blood alcohol testing.

[AICMM]

usv,

Not a column guy really. Having said that, the manufacturers put a lot of work into figuring out new phases and want to protect that information from competitors as long as possible. As a perfect example, look at the Varian LowOx column and the price it captured before any other competitor got into that market. For the application it was designed for it is really unique and commanded top dollar.


Best regards

[Ron]

I looked at this a few years back, and the thicker phase column appears to be a 624 phase based on the relative retention times of the analytes.