8. Preparative GC/O systems

Like a mass spectrometer or flame ionization detector, olfactometry coupled with GC has become a fully-fledged detection system for volatile odor compounds.

During chromatographic analysis, the identification of odorous zones by judges enables us to focus on the detection and characterization of compounds of odorous interest. However, the volatile, gaseous nature of the effluent analyzed means that it cannot be preserved. What's more, the identification and quantification of certain low odor perception threshold molecules detected by olfactometry but present in trace amounts often remains limited due to GC chromatographic separation limits and/or their low occurrence.

Two-dimensional GC × GC chromatography systems can be used to increase the quality of chromatographic separation, to better identify odorant molecules when they are involved...