ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces new chromatographic column designs and stationary phases, primarily to improve separation efficiency. Since the gas-liquid chromatography (GC) detectors widely used today respond nonselectively, compounds of interest must be well separated prior to detection. Atomic emission spectroscopy is one of the most selective, sensitive, reliable, and versatile techniques available for elemental determinations. With the development of plasmas as highly energetic and stable analytical excitation sources capable of exciting intense emissions from all elements in the periodic table, atomic emission spectroscopy has additional potential for selective chromatographic detection. A plasma atomic emission system can be readily coupled to a gas Chromatograph. One of the advantages of the plasma emission detector over other GC detectors is its multielement detection capability. In addition, the energy available in the plasma is capable of causing virtually complete fragmentation and atomization of analyte compounds, consequently yielding an elemental emission signal relatively independent of molecular environment.
