GC/MS

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Description

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) combines two analytical tools to identify and measure the concentration of chemicals found in foods, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, fuels, the environment, and more. The gas chromatograph Gas chromatography (GC) is used to separate volatile components in a mixture. It works by heating a liquid sample until it converts into a vapor that can be carried by a gas like helium or hydrogen. The gas (called a carrier gas or mobile phase) transports the sample through a long, thin glass or metal tube (column) that is coated with a chemical (stationary phase). As the vaporized compounds are pushed through the column, they slow down when they interact with the stationary phase. Different chemicals will take longer or shorter times to reach the end of the column based on their chemical properties. As the chemicals are separated, they are transferred to the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer A mass spectrometer (MS) is a detector that identifies and measures the vaporized compounds separated in the GC. While GC provides retention time and peak intensity information, mass spectrometry adds a third dimension: mass information. Mass information can be used to identity, quantify, and determine the structural and chemical properties of molecules.
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