Hand-portable Capillary Gas Chromatograph

Jul 23 2009

Torion Technologies (USA) announces new enhancements for the GUARDION-7, said to be the world’s fastest and most portable capillary gas chromatograph – toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS). The GUARDION-7 GC-TMS features a low thermal mass capillary gas chromatograph (GC) with high-speed temperature programming (>2 ºC/sec) and a miniature toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (TMS) with a nominal unit mass resolution over a mass range of 50 to 500 Daltons. The system is totally self-contained, weighs less than 28 pounds, is battery (24 V) operated, has an on-board helium GC carrier gas supply cartridge (2500 psig, 90cc), and is hand-portable. The world’s smallest self-contained GC-TMS is packaged in a hardened case with dimensions of 18.5” (wide) x 14” (deep) x 7” (high). New enhancements to the GUARDION-7 GCTMS include electronic pressure control (EPC) of the GC carrier gas and a rechargeable battery system for renewable power.

Samples are injected using novel CUSTODION™ SPME syringes. Target analytes in air, headspace, liquid or dissolved solid samples are rapidly trapped on the active coated surface of the SPME fiber, which is mounted in an easy-to-operate injection molded syringe. The GUARDION-7 provides step-by-step sample injection instructions via the system’s 7” LCD screen and graphical user interface (GUI). The GUARDION-7’s on-board firmware controls all GC and TMS system operations automatically without user intervention. However, Torion now introduces its new PC-based operation software, CHROMION™-1. This software application enables the user to edit the GC-TMS method parameters, calibrate the instrument, and develop target analyte libraries for automated detection and identification of targeted chemical compounds based on their characteristic retention times and mass spectra. Results are reported in an easy-to-understand tabular format that is displayed on the LCD screen. The GUARDION-7 is not only portable, but also fast, reliable and easy to operate. The GUARDION-7 miniature GC-TMS system is ideally suited for rapid (less than 5 min), highly sensitive and selective detection of a wide variety of compounds including chemical warfare agents, explosives, environmental pollutants, hazardous substances, etc.