Interlaboratory Reproducibility of Retention Indices in Capillary Gas Chromatography
Franke, JP
Senior research associate, research associate, and professor of toxicology, respectively, UniversityCenter for Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Wijsbeek, J
Senior research associate, research associate, and professor of toxicology, respectively, UniversityCenter for Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Groningen, The Netherlands.

de Zeeuw, RA
Senior research associate, research associate, and professor of toxicology, respectively, UniversityCenter for Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Groningen, The Netherlands.


Abstract
Because of the temperature-dependent behavior of Kovat's retention indices (RI), based on straight-chain alkane homologues and a liquid phase such as SE-30, OV-1, or methyl silicone, the interlaboratory reproducibility of these RIs determined on capillary columns is comparable to those determined on packed columns. Other homologue series investigated—including diisopropyl-n-alkylamines (DIPA), tri-n-alkylamines (TAA), and 1-nitro-n-alkanes (NIA)—showed the same phenomenon. However, by using a carefully selected reference drug mixture, a dramatic gain in the interlaboratory reproducibility of RI values can be obtained, even under vastly different operational conditions. This allows a search window of ±25 RI units for capillary methyl silicone columns, which is much better than the ±60 RI units that must be applied when using alkane or substituted alkane homologues.

Keywords:
capillary gas chromatography, chromatographic analysis, drugs, forensic science, interlaboratory survey, retention indices, substance identification, systematic toxicological analysis, toxicology

Paper ID: JFS354900813

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Author Franke J-P, Wijsbeek J, de Zeeuw RA Title Interlaboratory Reproducibility of Retention Indices in Capillary Gas Chromatography Symposium , Committee on