relative response factor agilent micro gc

In addition, the run time was cut from 2 days to 3 hours. In the first instance, the RRFs of components of a bergamot oil were determined from the internal database and the simulations, giving good agreement with those measured by GC-FID with full internal standardisation. However, the model was only tested on a model mixture, so Alain Chaintreau, Emeline Tissot, Sabine Rochat and Christian Debonneville from Firmenich have now assessed its performance for real samples. Tests on 351 RRF values showed that 60% of the predicted values were less than 5% different from the experimental values and 80% were less than 10% different. They showed that the RRFs are related to the enthalpies of combustion, which, in turn, can be calculated from the molecular formula. Flame ionisation detection involves combustion of the individual compounds as they leave the GC column after separation. So, scientists from the same organisation developed a way of predicting the RRFs for compounds based on the means of detection, which they published in 2010. While this saves time in sourcing RRFs, it still does not solve the problem of unavailable compounds. They built a database of RRFs and showed that the values were reproducible between different instruments and were stable over time. Filling the gaps by synthesising the required compounds is also a major undertaking which some labs cannot fulfil due to a lack of resources.Ī team of scientists from Firmenich SA in Geneva showed in 2008 that there are some valid shortcuts that can be made. In practice, determining the RRFs for all of the components in a mixture can be a time-consuming operation which is hampered in some cases by the absence of suitable standards. To get a level playing field, the RRFs are calculated as a ratio of the GC peak area of the component to that of a standard substance.

This is because the detector responds slightly differently to each compound. GC with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) is one of the standard weapons in the armoury of chemists working in these areas and it affords accurate measurements of complex mixtures.īut to do so requires the use of compounds as internal standards and knowledge of the relative response factors (RRFs) of each component in the mixture.

The obvious tool to carry out the analysis of flavours and fragrances is gas chromatography, since it deals with volatile compounds. An exact knowledge will also allow that particular fragrance to be recreated in the lab, potentially circumventing extraction from natural products. In the flavour and fragrance industry, it is of fundamental importance to know the composition of aromas and essential oils, because the proportions of each component influence the sensory properties of a scented product or a foodstuff.

Relative response factor agilent micro gc