Third Edition
This edition first published 2019
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Edition History
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: McNair, Harold M, 1933– author. | Miller, James M., 1933– author. | Snow, Nicholas H., 1965– author.
Title: Basic gas chromatography / Harold M. McNair, James M. Miller, Nicholas H. Snow.
Other titles: Gas chromatography
Description: Third edition [2019 edition]. | Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2019015115 (print) | LCCN 2019017610 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119450733 (Adobe PDF) | ISBN 9781119450788 (ePub) | ISBN 9781119450757 (hardcover)
Subjects: LCSH: Gas chromatography.
Classification: LCC QD79.C45 (ebook) | LCC QD79.C45 M425 2019 (print) | DDC 543/.85–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019015115
Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: Courtesy of Harold M. McNair
Since the earliest editions of a book titled Basic Gas Chromatography were published by McNair and Bonelli about 50 years ago, gas chromatography has evolved and matured. Today, the gas chromatography community is large and vibrant with routine use of GC in a huge variety of scientific disciplines. GC is found in laboratories performing analyses ranging from routine and simple to cutting edge research and development. Instrument configurations include traditional benchtop instruments, smaller footprint benchtop systems, portable instruments, and fully functional instruments‐on‐a chip. GC is used routinely in non‐laboratory settings including at‐line sampling and analysis in manufacturing, and GC instruments have even flown in space.
Today, gas chromatography is undergoing a renaissance as instruments have been constructed to take full advantage of the separating power of capillary columns, along with advanced solid‐state electronics for inlets and detectors. Most work is now performed using capillary columns that offer very high separating power and resolution. Routine use of GC has been greatly simplified by modern instrumentation that includes electronic control of all pneumatics, temperatures and flows and data systems that automatically perform calculations and generate reports.
Although GC has evolved, the purpose of this book remains the same as it has for 50 years: to help new users of GC get started and to remind experienced users of the fundamentals. Even as new instruments are developed, the fundamental chemistry and basic principles of chromatography remain the same.
In this edition of Basic Gas Chromatography, we have reorganized the content to reflect a much greater emphasis on capillary GC, with most packed column‐related content placed in a new Chapter 13. The discussions of inlets and temperature programming have been expanded. The chapters on detectors have been reorganized, separating classical and spectrometric detectors. The chapters on multidimensional GC and sample preparation have been significantly updated.
We welcome Dr. Nicholas Snow of Seton Hall University to the author team and welcome back Dr. Gregory Slack of PharmAssist Laboratories as the author of Chapter 11 on sample preparation techniques. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the many colleagues and students with whom we have worked. This book is as much yours as it is ours. You have taught us more about chromatography than you will ever know.
When the first edition of this book was published in 1998, gas chromatography (GC) was already a mature, popular separation method. Grob's encyclopedic Modern Practice of Gas Chromatography was already in its third (1995) edition. But the field has not remained static, and there is much new information that necessitates an update, a second edition of our book. In the meantime, Grob's book (now coedited with Barry) is in its fourth edition (2004) and comprises over 1000 pages. Miller’s book on chromatography is also in its second edition (2005).
Our objectives have remained the same, as has our intention to keep the book small, basic, and fundamental. Several topics that were contained in the Special Topics chapter of the first edition have been expanded in the second. They are gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and special sampling methods, now entitled simply “Sampling Methods.” In addition, a new chapter on multidimensional GC has been added. Also, two new topics have been added to the Special Topics chapter, namely, fast GC and the GC analysis of nonvolatile compounds. The latter includes the original section on derivatization, supplemented with inverse GC and pyrolysis GC. The entire book has been updated with new references, resources, and websites.
The textual material for the two new chapters 11 and 12) has been written by Nicholas Snow and Gregory Slack, both former students of McNair. They are established chromatography authors in their own right, and we welcome them and thank them for their contributions. Further information about them can be found on the Acknowledgments page.
We would be remiss if we did not repeat our expression of gratitude that is included in our original Preface. Many persons have helped us and taught us, including our mentors, students, and many other colleagues. We are also indebted to our wives and families for their support and encouragement. Thank you all.
A series of books on the Techniques in Analytical Chemistry would be incomplete without a volume on gas chromatography (GC), undoubtedly the most widely used technique. Over 40 years in development, GC has become a mature method of analysis and one that is not likely to fade in popularity.
In the early years of development of GC, many books were written to inform analysts of latest developments. Few of them have been kept up‐to‐date, and few new ones have appeared, so that a satisfactory single introductory text does not exist. This book attempts to meet that need. It is based in part on the earlier work by the same title, Basic Gas Chromatography, co‐authored by McNair and Bonelli and published by Varian Instruments. Some material is also drawn from the earlier Wiley book by Miller, Chromatography: Concepts and Contrasts.
We have attempted to write a brief, basic introduction to GC following the objectives for titles in this series. It should appeal to readers with varying levels of education and emphasizes a practical, applied approach to the subject. Some background in chemistry is required: mainly general organic chemistry and some physical chemistry. For use in formal class work, the book should be suitable for undergraduate analytical chemistry courses and for intensive short courses of the type offered by the American Chemical Society and others. Analysts entering the field should find it indispensable, and industrial chemists working in GC should find it a useful reference and guide.
Because the IUPAC has recently published its nomenclature recommendations for chromatography, we have tried to use them consistently to promote a unified set of definitions and symbols. Also, we have endeavored to write in such a way that the book would have the characteristics of a single author, a style especially important for beginners in the field. Otherwise, the content and coverage are appropriately conventional.
While open tubular (OT) columns are the most popular type, both open tubular and packed columns are treated throughout, and their advantages, disadvantages, and applications are contrasted. In addition, special chapters are devoted to each type of column. Chapter 2 introduces the basic instrumentation and Chapter 7 elaborates on detectors. Other chapters cover stationary phases (Chapter 4), qualitative and quantitative analysis (Chapter 8), programmed temperature (Chapter 9), and troubleshooting (Chapter 11). Chapter 10 briefly covers the important special topics of GC‐MS, derivatization, chiral analysis, headspace sampling, and solid‐phase micro‐extraction (SPME) for GC analysis.
We would like to express our appreciation to our former professors and many colleagues who have in one way or another aided and encouraged us and to those students who, over the years, have provided critical comments that have challenged us to improve both our knowledge and communication skills.
Harold M. McNair
James M. Miller
The authors wish to acknowledge Chapter 11, “Sampling Methods,” which was provided by Dr. Gregory C. Slack, Scientific Director at PharmAssist Laboratories, South Berlin, NY 13843.
Dr. Snow wishes to thank Dr. Thomas M. and Mrs. Sylvia Tencza for their support of his professorship at Seton Hall University.