March 28, 2024, 06:43:02 PM
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Topic: Ideas for simple gas chromatography  (Read 1183 times)

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Offline phchmaif

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Ideas for simple gas chromatography
« on: March 09, 2022, 02:17:05 PM »
(Not 100% sure if this should go here or in the High School Chemistry Forum)
I am currently in 11th grade and get to do a voluntary project involving gas chromatography. My school has a very simple gas chromatograph, just using air as the carrier gas and a lightbulb with the glass removed as a thermal conductivity detector.
Yesterday I got to use it for the first time and analyzed some lighter fluids containing ethane, propane, isopropane and butane. Today I set up a methane generator with my teacher, to see how much a certain amount of horse droppings generate over x amount of time.
My question is if someone has a good idea of what else I could do, considering the simplicity of the setup. Perhaps even a simple synthesis I could do and try to analyze the product?

Thank you in advance!

Offline MOTOBALL

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Re: Ideas for simple gas chromatography
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2022, 11:45:34 AM »
If you are planning to measure CH4 generated from horse dung, the implication is that you can do headspace sampling (with a gas-tight syringe).

Similar sampling could be applied to, e.g.,

1) rubbing alcohol (isopropanol),

2) nail varnish & nail varnish remover (acetone/ethyl acetate ??),

3) after-shave or perfume (ethanol)

4) (non-latex) paints & varnishes (toluene/xylenes)

5) paint stripper (dichloromethane/ toluene/ acetone ??)

Please run these suggestions by your teacher BEFORE proceeding.

Let me applaud your high school for having a functional gas chromatograph & a sharp science teacher.

I would encourage you to pursue a career in science, especially analytical chemistry!!!!!

It has certainly given me a wonderful life.

Please let us know how any of these ideas work out (or not).

Regards,

Motoball



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