ECD sensivity and makeup gas

[pascal]

Hi all,

We are using an ECD detector from SRI (http://www.srigc.com/2005catalog/cat43.htm) to analyse N2O in ambient air. The detector make-up gas is currently N2, carrier gas is He. The sensitivity of the detector is rather low (we don't really see peaks <1ppm).

My question is now how ECD sensitivity depends on the makeup gas, more specifically, whether using Argon/CH4 instead of N2 would increase sensitivity, and by how much.

Thanks for your help

[AICMM]

Found the following in my notes which may be very pertinent to your problem:

"Response of electron-capture detector to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and nitrous oxide" Jrnl. of Chrom., 193 (1980), p 142.

Good luck.