Switching to hydrogen carrier gas: An analyst’s guide to GC–MS method conversion
Webinar – 16 April, 2025
Webinar overview
Hydrogen has emerged as an attractive alternative as a GC carrier gas driven by helium's limited availability and rising costs. However, many labs hesitate due to concerns about implementation, sensitivity, spectral fidelity, and safety. In this webinar, join Dr Andreas Kapaklis and Anika Maier from TESTEX, a global leader in textile testing, as they share their experiences of implementing hydrogen carrier gas in their thermal desorption (TD)–GC–MS workflow.
Learn how TESTEX addressed and overcame key challenges such as system compatibility, safety precautions, and performance optimisation to develop a robust lab setup. They will discuss the critical steps in implementing a hydrogen carrier gas GC–MS workflow and how they were able to seamlessly execute their methodology with maximum throughput, performance, and convenience while maintaining compliance with rigorous OEKO-TEX® standards. They will share their experience with direct desorption techniques for routine textiles GC-MS analysis, detailing the role of hydrogen generators in improving their carrier gas reliability and ensuring safety while maintaining spectral fidelity and delivering high-quality results.
Whether you're considering a switch to hydrogen or looking for insights into optimising TD–GC–MS workflows for materials emissions, this webinar will provide practical advice and real-world results showing the upsides of using hydrogen carrier gas and give you the confidence to explore this sustainable solution.
Learning outcomes
- Discover the advantages of implementing hydrogen as a viable alternative to helium as a GC carrier gas
- Gain insights into the critical steps involved in implementing a hydrogen carrier gas GC–MS workflow
- Learn how to overcome technical and safety-related challenges when transitioning to hydrogen, ensuring optimal performance and lab safety
- Explore how hydrogen offers a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to helium backed by real-world results
What you need to know:
Date: 16 April, 2025
Start times:
Broadcast #1: 10 am BST (London) / 11 am CEST (Paris/Berlin) / 2:30 pm IST (New Delhi) / 5 pm SGT (Singapore)
Broadcast #2: 10 am PDT (Los Angeles) / 12 pm CDT (Chicago) / 1 pm EDT (New York)
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Presenters
Dr Andreas Kapaklis
Laboratory Team Leader, TESTEX, Zurich, Switzerland
Dr Andreas Kapaklis is Laboratory Team Leader at TESTEX in Zurich, Switzerland, where he leads a team of technicians and is responsible for the GC–MS and GC–MS/MS systems, amongst other instruments. Prior to that, he had specialized in wine aroma analysis, completing his Ph.D. at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen in 2015, at the same time as working in quality control/management at the wine house Schuler, where he was based from 2011–2018.
Anika Maier
Laboratory Technician, TESTEX, Zurich, Switzerland
Anika Maier is a laboratory technician at TESTEX in Zurich, Switzerland, where she has been since 2019, having previously held laboratory-based roles at the clinical research organization Celerion and the testing house SGS Institut Fresenius. She is currently nearing completion of a four-year course in chemical technology.
Caroline Widdowson
Material Emissions Specialist, Markes International
Caroline works for Markes International, an advanced analytical instrument manufacturer. Having completed her chemistry degree at Cardiff University, she followed on with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry then an MBA. As part of her current role, Caroline advises manufacturers, test laboratories, and research institutes on equipment needed to monitor interior environments and study chemical emissions from materials. Caroline is the Chair of the UK BSi committee developing standard methods for the sampling and analysis of chemicals from products and materials (BSi EH2/5); she also participates in ISO, ASTM, and CEN standards and national regulatory committees relating to this area.
