Comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC×GC) has developed significantly in the three decades since the technique was first demonstrated experimentally. Consequently, the number of users, published methods, and scientific papers about 2D GC has increased dramatically. In their recent review in Journal of Separation Sciences, CAST member Nino Milani along with Eric van Gilst discuss the latest developments in 2D gas chromatography [1]. The authors reviewed the latest developments in modulation methods and also touched upon detection, retention modelling and data analysis.
Interestingly, Milani et al. found a surprising large number of technology-oriented publications that investigated new modulation technology. Thermal modulators – which are mostly used in application-papers still – yield excellent performance, even without the need for coolant consumables. Novel flow modulators can compete with thermal modulators, yet tend to be simpler and easier to operate.
The authors found a discrepancy between the use of flow modulation in technology-driven publications versus those in application studies. This was considered a testimony to the fact that the field is still highly dynamic, despite the widely-perceived maturity of GC×GC.
Milani also concluded that benchmark datasets were required to properly evaluate the latest developments in the field of signal processing and data analysis.
GC×GC is, along with GC×GC, of high interest to the PARADISE project, in which 2D chromatography is used to establish simultaneous determination and correlation of multiple sample dimensions. The analysis of datasets originating from 2D separations is also of high interest. Therefore, this review on the latest developments in 2D gas chromatography was written in the context of the PARADISE project. The PARADISE project is funded by public and private organisations and also receives funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
The review was published open access in Journal of Separation Science and can be accessed free of charge here.
References
[1] Comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography—A discussion on recent innovations, N.B.L. Milani, E. van Gilst, B.W.J. Pirok, P.J. Schoenmakers, J. Sep. Sci., 2023, DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202300304