Performance of Capillary Columns for High-Temperature Gas Chromatography

The developments in stationary-phase synthesis and capillary column technology have opened new perspectives in the analysis of high-molecular-weight compounds (600 daltons) and thermolabile organic compounds by high-temperature-high-resolution gas chromatography. This branch of high-resolution gas chromatography deals with analysis performed up to 390°C oven temperature (with some applications going up to 420°C and even a few applications to 450°C maximum). The technique has been applied to many different fields of science (e.g., organic geochemistry, environmental chemistry, archeology, and natural product research). Apolar and medium-polar gum phases can now be operated at temperatures from 400 to 480°C, but these higher temperatures are seldom used because of the thermostability of the material used to make the capillary tubing. This paper shows the performance of nine commercial high-temperature columns when used in routine applications.