Jean-Marie Dimandja

Application of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) to the qualitative analysis of essential oils.

This paper investigates the separation of moderately complex samples by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC). The analysis of peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (Mentha spicata) essential oil components, including acetates, alcohols, furans, ketones, sesquiterpenes, and terpenes, was achieved by one-dimensional gas chromatography with quadrupole mass spectrometry detection (GC/MSD) and GC x GC with flame ionization detection. Peppermint essential oil was found to contain 89 identifiable peaks by GC x GC compared to 30 peaks in the GC/MSD chromatogram. Likewise, 68 peaks were found in the GC x GC chromatogram of spearmint (compared to 28 in GC/MSD). Plots of the first dimension versus second dimension retention times provided a fingerprint of the two essential oils, which revealed 52 similar compounds between the two essential oils as opposed to 18 matches by ID GC.

Analysis of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector

The determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites in human urine is the method of choice for assessing exposure to carcinogenic compounds. The objective of this study was the development of a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) method using a flame ionisation detector (FID) to simultaneously determine 10 hydroxylated PAH. The method was based on enzymatic deconjugation, liquid-liquid extraction, and trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization of the analytes by microwave heating. Satisfactory separation was achieved. The coefficient of variance was 3.8-12.8%. LOD was 0.03-0.18 microg/L, and LOQ was 0.1-0.5 microg/L. The mean recovery was 76%. The method was applied to the analysis of urine from smokers and non-smokers.

Gas chromatography in space

Gas chromatography has proven to be a very useful analytical technique for in situ analysis of extraterrestrial environments as demonstrated by its successful operation on spacecraft missions to Mars and Venus. The technique is also one of the six scientific instruments aboard the Huygens probe to explore Titans atmosphere and surface. A review of gas chromatography in previous space missions and some recent developments in the current environment of fiscal constraints and payload size limitations are presented.

Chemical analysis methods: Measurements for assessing environmental exposures to children using small amounts of serum and urine: state-of-the-art

This paper addresses the recent advances in gas chromatographic (GC)-based instrumentation for the analytical determination of environmental toxicants using small samples. One-dimensional GC/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC×GC) are shown to drastically improve sample component resolution, sensitivity and overall analytical throughput. A presentation of the concepts behind the new state-of-the-art, and results highlighting the advantages of the emerging technologies are presented.