Chromatography Forum

Purge-trap system w/ Aglent GC-MSD

all of the sudden my early 'gas' peaks are broadening out. I checked to see that all fittings are tightened but I still have this problem.

I've had the trap for a year and I've run lots and lots of samples.

I'm using a vocarb k trap on a tekmar concentrator...

oh, and one other question...

do you use new ferrules when changing the trap? I've bought the new trap and didn't know that I needed furrules. If I'm careful can I just swap the old trap for the new? or should i order new ferrules and be down for a couple of days?

Thanks.

We use an OI 4560 concentrator with a number 10 trap. Typically when the trap is starting to fail the ketones, carbon disulfide and especially bromoform will respond poorly.

Regardless we change our traps every month.

broadening peaks... do you think you might have a slight leak? check the concentrator (we once had a similiar problem and found a slight leak coming from the interface)