How switching from helium to hydrogen carrier gas in thermal desorbers enhances gas chromatography–mass spectrometry systems

Helium is a finite resource that is increasingly expensive and difficult to source as a gas chromatography carrier gas. In addition, it must be extracted and stored before being shipped around the world, giving it a high carbon footprint. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is simple to generate using water and electricity and would seem to be an obvious environmentally friendly alternative, securing against helium shortages in the long term and offering immediate cost savings. It also promises shorter analytical cycle times and faster sample throughput.

In this article, analysis of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air demonstrates that a thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS) system can operate with hydrogen carrier gas as well as it does with helium.