Variable pressure ionization detector for gas chromatography

Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866483

Buchanan, Michelle V ^[1]; Wise, Marcus B ^[2]

---

1. Knoxville, TN
2. Oak Ridge, TN

Method and apparatus for differentiating organic compounds based on their electron affinity. An electron capture detector cell (ECD) is operated at pressures ranging from atmospheric to less than 1 torr. Through variation of the pressure within the ECD cell, the organic compounds are induced to either capture or emit electrons. Differentiation of isomeric compounds can be obtianed when, at a given pressure, one isomer is in the emission mode and the other is in the capture mode. Output of the ECD is recorded by chromatogram. The invention also includes a method for obtaining the zero-crossing pressure of a compound, defined as the pressure at which the competing emission and capture reactions are balanced and which may be correlated to the electron affinity of a compound.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4721858
• OSTI ID: 866483
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/250/
affinity
apparatus
atmospheric
balanced
based
capture
capture detector
capture reactions
cell
chromatogram
chromatography
competing
compound
compounds
compounds based
correlated
defined
detector
detector cell
differentiating
differentiating organic
differentiation
ecd
electron
electron affinity
electron capture
electrons
emission
emit
gas
gas chromatograph
gas chromatography
induced
ionization
ionization detector
isomer
isomeric
method
mode
obtaining
obtianed
operated
organic
organic compound
organic compounds
output
pressure
pressures
pressures ranging
ranging
reactions
recorded
torr
variable
variable pressure
variation
zero-crossing