The drive for lower analyte detection limits, increased laboratory productivity, and concerns around gas chromatography (GC) carrier gas availability and costs push the need for innovation in gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) technology.

The next generation of GC-MS is already here!

What are the key benefits of Waters GC-MS/MS solutions?

Atmospheric Pressure Gas Chromatography (APGC^TM) technology offers laboratories a powerful alternative to conventional electron ionization (EI) technology, enabling low limits of detection and confident compound identification and confirmation, while reducing laboratory costs, from reduced GC system maintenance as well as the ability to use nitrogen as an alternative carrier gas without analytical performance sacrifice. 

The main key benefits of APGC are:  

Increased sensitivity and selectivity

GC-MS/MS utilizing APGC source technology has been shown to offer significant improvements in performance over traditional EI technology for several applications such as dioxins, semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and pesticides. Selectivity and sensitivity are enhanced by selection of a molecular/protonated ion or higher molecular weight fragment as the precursor ion for MRM transitions in MS/MS.

Inject less sample

The sensitivity increase resulting from the use of APGC enables lower detection limits, which in turn can allow for lower injection volumes or less extract concentration, reducing the number of co-extractives injected. This reduction can result in a greater amount of time before the system requires maintenance and consumable components of the GC require replacement.  

Simpler GC injection techniques 

The increased sensitivity of APGC often allows for the use of split injection, which is simpler and more robust than splitless or other injection techniques necessary to achieve the required reporting limits when using EI systems. Additionally, due to the short residence time in split injection, inertness for sensitive compounds is also improved.

Nitrogen carrier gas

Declining supplies of helium are leading to increased costs and reduced availability, creating uncertainty for laboratories. Alternative carrier gases include hydrogen and nitrogen. The use of hydrogen often results in spectral differences and sensitivity loss, in addition to health and safety concerns. Traditional EI technology cannot achieve the benefits of using nitrogen due to flow rate limitations and MS background signal.  APGC does not suffer these limitations; allowing laboratories unrestricted use of nitrogen carrier gas for their GC-MS workflows. This allows laboratories to lower costs, and have confidence in supplies without compromising separations, run-times or sensitivity.

What applications is APGC used for? 

With multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), APGC is suitable for a variety of targeted GC-MS/MS applications, which include the identification and quantitation of:

• dioxins, furans, and dioxin like PCBs
• pesticides and persistent organic pollutants
• semi-volatile compounds (SVOCs)

Waters provides valuable documentation to help you with APGC. Download Waters APGC Resource kit to get application notes, scientific articles, webinars & testimonials.

Here's an example of what is included in this resource kit:

• WEBINAR - What makes APGC technology suitable for Dioxins/POPs?
• CASE STUDY - Growing demand for rapid food contaminant detection spurs new method development at NofaLab
• APPLICATION NOTES
- Determination of Pesticide Residues in Rice-Based Baby Food Using GC-MS/MS with APGC™ After Extraction and Clean Up Using QuEChERS
- Determination of Pesticide Residues in Cottage Pie Baby Food Using GC-MS/MS With APGC™ After Extraction Using QuEChERS and Clean-up With Oasis™ PRiME HLB SPE
- Determination of Pesticide Residues in Cucumber Using GC-MS/MS With APGC™ After Extraction and Clean-up Using QuEChERS
- Target Analysis of Semivolatile Compounds Using Atmospheric Pressure GC-MS/MS
• INFOGRAPHIC - Next Generation GC-MS Technology is Already Here