e-Chronicle - Chromatography Updates
e-Chronicle – December 2025
Your Chromatography Update – Gas Chromatography
In this month's e-Chronicle Newsletter, we've featured a variety of Gas Chromatography-related topics,
including new products, green initiatives, instrumentation, technical resources, and more!
CSI is now using the 12 point SIGNIFICANCE mnemonic to assess greener analytical chemistry technology.
NEW PRODUCT
Stop Syringe Mix-ups in Your Lab With Hamilton's Color Bands
Boost lab organization and productivity with Color Bands – durable, chemical-resistant, and easy to install for instant laboratory tool identification. Create your own color-coding system to organize tools, reduce errors, and streamline workflows.
- Identification: Avoid costly mix-ups by assigning a color to a specific use, chemical, or volume.
- Organization: Assign a color to a specific workstation so you can be sure your tools stay where you left them.
- Ownership: Shared lab equipment tends to be missing, dirty, or damaged when you need it most.
Claim a color for your lab to ensure your tools are prepped and ready for use.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Minimize Bleed and Coring With the Right CHROMSPEC GC Injector Port Septa
In GC, samples are vapourized and introduced into the system at high temperatures. GC septa must therefore tolerate elevated heat and frequent needle injections without degrading or bleeding (releasing volatile contaminants).
Key Considerations
-
Temperature Resistance: GC inlets can reach 250 - 400°C
- Inlet is heated from centre or base – septum temperature can be several hundred degrees lower than inlet
temperature set-point. - CHROMSPEC septa are rated for 200°C septum temperature – Simply measure the temperature at your
septum nut to see if you need an ultra-high temperature septum.
- Inlet is heated from centre or base – septum temperature can be several hundred degrees lower than inlet
- Low Bleed: Septa should minimize volatile compounds that might interfere with sensitive detectors (e.g., MS).
- Durability: Frequent injections demand resistance to needle coring (fragmentation of septum material).
Common Materials
- Silicone Rubber: Flexible and resealable, ideal for multiple injections.
- PTFE-faced Silicone: Combines chemical inertness with silicone elasticity; common in GC applications.
- Advanced Formulations: Special low-bleed septa are engineered for GC-MS compatibility.
High-Performing PAL SPME Fibers From Restek
Restek PAL SPME Fibers deliver results that consistently meet or exceed the performance of other solid phase microextraction fibers. Their reliable SPME Fibers are optimized for PAL system autosamplers and are compatible with most GC inlets.
- Suitable for a wide range of analyte chemistries and sample matrices.
- Optimized for PAL system autosamplers and compatible with most GC inlets.
- Smart SPME Fibers and Smart SPME Arrows now available.
Typical Applications
- Trace analysis in food
- Drugs and pharmaceuticals
- Herbicides/pesticides
- Medical diagnostics
- Organics in water
- Trace impurities in polymers and solid samples
- Solvent residues in raw material
Green Chemistry
enerating as little waste as possible.
mplementing automation and miniaturization of methods.
liminating or replacing toxic reagents.
By incorporating extraction into a fiber attached to the syringe, SPME eliminates need for solvent extraction (usually involving organic solvents) leading to all these advantages.
FEATURED INSTRUMENTS
Young In Chromass – ChroZen GC
The state-of-the-art ChroZen GC features enhanced control, sensitivity and reproducibility.
- Intuitive touchpad LCD display for monitoring and control (inlets, detectors, oven, and valves).
- Powerful UPC (Ultimate Pneumatic Control) optimizes carrier gas control providing exceptional accuracy
and precision (RT Repeatability SD < 0.0008 min). - 15 heated zones with optimized thermal stability for each module (Temperature Stability < ±0.01℃).
-
Wide array of detectors:
- Flame Ionization Detector (FID)
- Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD)
- Micro-Thermal Conductivity Detector (µTCD)
- Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector (NPD)
- Pulsed Discharge Detector (PDD)
- Flame Photometric Detector (FPD)
- Pulsed Flame Photometric Detector (PFPD)
- Photoionization Detector (PID)
- Vacuum Ultraviolet Detector (VUV)
CDS Analytical – Purge and Trap
Purge and Trap is the most effective method for extracting and concentrating volatile organic compounds (VOC) from liquids and solids.
CDS Analytical instruments are designed around a few core concepts including EPA regulation compliance to EPA 8260, 524, 624 methods, reliability, expandability, dependability, and competitive pricing. It has been acknowledged as the industry workhorse for decades.
CDS 8500C Purge and Trap System Features:
- High temperature valve and transfer line to reduce carry-over.
- Hydroguard wet trap to minimize moisture and maximize analytical trap lifespan.
- Patented foam sensor eliminates contamination of the sample path.
- Can be used with 5mL or 25mL sparge vessels.
- Optional mass flow controller.
- Heated sparge vessel option.
- Internal standard module option.
- Hot water rinse module option.
Optional CDS 8500A Autosampler Adds Even More Features:
- 110 position sample vial tray.
- 4 individual internal standard addition vessels.
- Soil and dynamic headspace capability.
- Methanol extraction and methanol rinse capability.
- High precision syringe for repeatable sampling volume.
- Powerful, easy to use software interface.
FEATURED LITERATURE
Our 2026 Calendar Has Arrived!
To further embrace the merger of Chromatographic Specialties and MJSBioLynx, it seemed fitting to feature cats and lynx together.
Be sure to request yours today!
TECHNICAL TIP
Don't Lose Peak Shape on Early Eluters When Changing to Microbore Columns
Lately, we’ve helped a few customers who found resolution problems at the front of their chromatogram when scaling down to 0.18mm ID GC columns. There was no common issue with the methods, but they all benefited from tweaking injection related parameters – inlet liner, starting temperature, isothermal hold time.
Our take home from these discussions? There’s very little time and stationary phase in a 0.18mm column to catch early eluters, so optimal injections are critical.
Green Chemistry
enerating as little waste as possible – 0.18mm ID columns use less carrier gas, and less sample than larger bore GC columns.
ASK OUR TECH TEAM
Your Lab’s Mysteries Are Our Favourite Puzzles!
Most days, our tech crew is in Brockville, answering calls and emails. But the real fun begins when you send us those “little quirks” that have been bugging you for ages. They’re not defects – just things that don’t run quite right.
Don’t wait for us to drop by your lab – reach out to us today! These puzzles are our playground, and we love turning head‑scratchers into smooth solutions.