A simple multisensor detector based on tin dioxide in capillary gas chromatography

The use of an array of metal oxide film sensors as a detector for volatile organic compounds in capillary gas chromatography is described. The results of determination of the sensitivity, response time, and linearity range of the analytical signals from sensors are presented; these parameters are compared with similar characteristics of commercial gas chromatographic detectors. An approach is proposed to the identification of organic compounds by the shape and relative size of responses of individual sensors. It is demonstrated that the multisensor detector is applicable to solving typical analytical problems of the quantitative analysis of multicomponent mixtures.