Direct resistively heated column gas chromatography (Ultrafast module-GC) for high-speed analysis of essential oils of differing complexities

This study applies Ultrafast module-GC (UFM-GC) with direct resistively heated columns to routine analysis of a group of essential oils of differing complexities (chamomile, peppermint, rosemary and sage). Essential oils were analysed by conventional GC with conventional inner diameter (i.d.) columns (0.25 mm) of different lengths (5 and 25 m long) and by Fast GC and Ultrafast module-GC with narrow bore columns (0.1 mm i.d., 5 m long). Column performance were evaluated and compared through their Grob test, separation number and peak capacity. Ultrafast module-GC was successful in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of essential oils of different compositions with analysis times between 40 s and 2 min versus 20–60 min required by conventional GC. Critical pairs or groups of components were separated by carefully tuning selectivity of the stationary phase to compensate for loss of efficiency due to the use of short columns and high temperature rates. The Ultrafast module-GC results of peppermint e.o. analyses were also validated and compared to those obtained by conventional GC; by measuring precision over time (i.e. repeatability and intermediate precision) and accuracy. Ultrafast module-GC showed a good separation reproducibility affording reliable component identification through the relative retention times and quantitative determination through normalised peak areas. Accuracy data also showed that Ultrafast module-GC and conventional GC normalised areas and areas percentage were perfectly comparable.