Smart Sampling as a fully automated workflow for liquid injection and headspace GC and GC/MS
The preparation of samples and standards is generally accepted as the most time consuming portion
of the analysis in regard to the analyst’s time. Automating the sample preparation and standard
preparation drastically reduces the amount of time the analyst spends on the analysis.
• An important part of method optimization is the selection of the appropriate conditions. This normally
requires a considerable amount of the analyst time. In practice, only a small amount of optimization
work is actually done and most methods used rely on analyst experience.
• A new type of robotic sample handler allows for the automatic change of tools. This opens the
possibility for the automated preparation of samples and standards as well as the optimization of key
process parameters.
A workflow has been described enabling the automated preparation of standards and samples for the
GC/MS analysis.
• It was demonstrated that automated preparations were equivalent or better compared to the manual
preparation with a dramatically reduction the analyst’s time involved.
• Applying the automated workflow described above increases sample throughput while reducing the
analyst’s time involved from hours per sample to minutes per sample.
• Future work will enable the PAL RTC to determine if a sample is out of range, then dilute the sample or
inject a larger volume and re-run it automatically. The ability to perform this automatic adjustment of the
concentration level in the sample will increase the productivity of this system further.
of the analysis in regard to the analyst’s time. Automating the sample preparation and standard
preparation drastically reduces the amount of time the analyst spends on the analysis.
• An important part of method optimization is the selection of the appropriate conditions. This normally
requires a considerable amount of the analyst time. In practice, only a small amount of optimization
work is actually done and most methods used rely on analyst experience.
• A new type of robotic sample handler allows for the automatic change of tools. This opens the
possibility for the automated preparation of samples and standards as well as the optimization of key
process parameters.
A workflow has been described enabling the automated preparation of standards and samples for the
GC/MS analysis.
• It was demonstrated that automated preparations were equivalent or better compared to the manual
preparation with a dramatically reduction the analyst’s time involved.
• Applying the automated workflow described above increases sample throughput while reducing the
analyst’s time involved from hours per sample to minutes per sample.
• Future work will enable the PAL RTC to determine if a sample is out of range, then dilute the sample or
inject a larger volume and re-run it automatically. The ability to perform this automatic adjustment of the
concentration level in the sample will increase the productivity of this system further.
