beginner at calibration

[AZBiodiesel]

hey all, I have a 5890 GC with chemstation. I am new to chemstation and we have revA0.9.01. Ive called agilent and they say that our version is too old to have a downloadable copy. So basically I am trying to create a calibration table and standard curve from 5 different standards using the tutorial alone. But Im still pretty new to running samples and calibrating. Im still not quite clear on how to quantify our sample or what I should do first.

Ive created a calibration sequence that does a heptane blank, the 5 standards, a reagent blank, and then another heptane blank. All the chromatograms look great, sharp peaks, little noise, no peaks where there shouldn't be, theyre all increasing in the amounts they should be . And I have figured out how to integrate the peaks and clean out the noise and auto scale. But I just need help for what comes next, any tips? Any links to literature that might be helpful. I did find one agilent e seminar that was pretty helpful. Thanks!

[Consumer Products Guy]

AZBiodiesel (are you in Arizona?) - we are the R&D of a large manufacturer of OTC pharmaceutical products, and A.09 is the NEWEST version we have here (about 8 Agilent 1050 and 1100 HPLCs and 4 Agilent GCs (three Agilent 5890 and one 6890), and some GCMS as well.

We've never used ChemStation for more than a one-point calibration, we do linearity using Excel, then use a one-point calibration withstandard near the level of the level in the sample. Our results, even system suitability, is all automated using Chemstation A.09 or A.06. I don't understand what you mean about a downloadable copy? If you have a License number you can legitimately obtain replacement media (CD) even if someone makes you a copy, you're already a licensed user.

I can only help with one point calibrations unless I dig into it...

[AZBiodiesel]

I used to live in arizona for 7 years, went ASU, but moved back to washington state last year. What I was hoping to download if it exists, was the Chemstaion user manual. Doesn't this kind of software usually come with a big book or pdf or something? Agilent seems pretty uptight when it comes to chemstation Ive found.

So basically what I have is 5 different standards each containing the same 6 reagents with varying degrees of concentration, except for two internal standards. So aren't I supposed to make a plot of the different concentrations in chemstations with the calibration table, where each standard is a different level 1,2,3,4,5 etc? I know how to do it in excel, but I don't know how to export the info in the table to excel, I mean i checked that option in the "edit entire method" option but i haven't seen any .xls files in the data folder.

I guess Im just trying to get to a point where I take my unknown sample and overlap on top of my standards and i can get a good idea of where it is. Is that possible or do i just export the peak width, height info etc to excel and calculate the formula there...Thanks for all the help

[AICMM]

AZBiodiesel,

View, Data Analysis, click on the little golden scale. That gives you the calibration table. Pretty intuitive from there.

You might check with third parties, MLS Technologies in your neck of the woods, Gentech Scientific, Windy Hill, etc... and see if they have the manual as a PDF.

Best regards.

[AZBiodiesel]

ok i guess my main problem still lies in making the calibration tables.
for each set of standards it is a different level correct? Well when i go to the calibration tab, the "add level" function is grayed out. So how can i add more data to the table to get my curve, when the option is not working?
Ive tried using different calibration settings and curve types (linear, quadratic, exponetial etc) and nothing works. Any thoughts? thanks.

[Consumer Products Guy]

What I was hoping to download if it exists, was the Chemstaion user manual. Doesn't this kind of software usually come with a big book or pdf or something?

I'm pretty sure the pdf files for the manuals are on your ChemStation CD, check for the "Manuals" directory.

[ece]

AZ

Does the chemstation version you have create a txt file for you? If so, you should be able to save the txt file and export it to excel using the data/import external data. Select "Delimited" followed by next then select tab and space delimiters to import your data into columns and rows, make sure the "Treat consecutive delimiters as one" is selected.

If you follow the method, you can do this all without the chemstation software. You can build your own excel spreadsheets and determine the slope and y intercept of your calibration functions manually.

[AZBiodiesel]

ok i figured out why i couldn't add levels, it was because when i had made my first calibration table i had checked manual setup thinking i would add the levels myself. Making a new table and setting it to auto allowed me to add the remaining standards.

[giacomo56]

Ok Chemstation A.09.xx can do multiple level calibrations....it's very easy.
First load your level 1 data file which has been integrated go to calibration...start new calibration table...this will load your data in the table....insert all of the appropriate data...ie...weights etc.etc.

load...new data file which should be your second calibration run...go to Calibration menu then look for "add level" give it a number 2...this will load level two....fill in the appropriate numbers.....

Load new data file which should be your third calibration run...go to Calibration menu then look for "add level" give it a number 3...this will load level two....fill in the appropriate numbers.....

etc
etc...