Use of greatly-reduced gas flows in flow-modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

•We propose a fine optimization approach in flow-modulated comprehensive 2D GC.•The approach enables the use of MS-compatible flows (6–8 mL/min).•100% of the second-dimension flow is directed to the mass spectrometer.•Sensitivity is greatly increased compared to previous findings.

The present research is specifically based on the use of greatly-reduced gas flows, in flow-modulator (FM) comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography systems. In particular, focus of the present research is directed to FM devices characterized by an accumulation stage, and a much briefer re-injection step. It has been widely accepted that the operation of such FM systems requires high gas flows (≥20 mL/min), to re-inject the gas-phase contents of sample (or accumulation) loops, onto the second column. On the contrary, it will be herein demonstrated that much lower gas flows (≈ 6–8 mL/min) can efficiently perform the modulation step of re-injection. The possibility of using such improved operational conditions is given simply by a fine optimization of the processes of accumulation and re-injection. The application of lower gas flows not only means that second-dimension separations are carried out under better analytical conditions, but, even more importantly, greatly reduces problems which arise when using mass spectrometry (i.e., sensitivity and instrumental pumping capacity).