Gas Chromatography

Abstract

Gas chromatography (GC) is an instrumental method for separating volatile compounds in a mixture. A small sample of the mixture is injected onto one end of a column housed in an oven. The column in this experiment is a six feet long, 1⁄4 inch diameter stainless steel tube. The column is packed with a sand-like substance (small SiO2 or Al2O3 particles) and coiled. The particles have been coated with a viscous, high boiling liquid such as dodecane or substituted dodecane. This coated solid is referred to as the STATIONARY PHASE. The mixture of volatile components is transported through the column by an inert gas such as argon or helium. The gas is referred to as the MOBILE PHASE and is also sometimes called the CARRIER GAS.