Advantages and Disadvantages of Substitution of Helium as Carrier Gas in Gas Chromatography by Hydrogen. Part I. - Technical and Safety Aspects.

Abstract

Gas chromatography plays a significant role in the determination of flavors, which is important not only for monitoring the quality of final product but also when testing new technological procedures. Correct setting of all conditions having an influence on the chromatographic separations, including carrier gas, is necessary for acquiring accurate and reproducible results in gas chromatographic methods. Some difficulties with substitution of helium as carrier gas by another gas are discussed in this series of papers. Laboratories may be forced to make this change due to "helium crisis". This paper is focused on technical and risk aspects of this substitution.Gas chromatography plays a significant role in the determination of flavors, which is important not only for monitoring the quality of final product but also when testing new technological procedures. Correct setting of all conditions having an influence on the chromatographic separations, including carrier gas, is necessary for acquiring accurate and reproducible results in gas chromatographic methods. Some difficulties with substitution of helium as carrier gas by another gas are discussed in this series of papers. Laboratories may be forced to make this change due to "helium crisis". This paper is focused on technical and risk aspects of this substitution.

Keywords

• carrier gas
• helium
• hydrogen
• nitrogen
• gas chromatography