New Portable Gas Chromatograph

Torion Technologies (USA) announces the new TRIDION™‐9, a fast and portable capillary gas chromatograph – toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC‐TMS). The new TRIDION‐9 GC‐TMS features a low thermal mass capillary gas chromatograph (GC) with high‐speed temperature programming (>2 ºC/sec) and a miniature toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (TMS) with a nominal unit mass resolution over a mass range of 50 to 500 Daltons.

The system is totally self‐contained, weighs less than 32 pounds with all accessories, is battery (24 V) operated, has an on‐board helium GC carrier gas supply cartridge (2500 psig, 90cc), and is person portable. The small self‐contained GC‐TMS is packaged in a new, specially‐designed, hardened enclosure with dimensions of 15.0” (wide) x 15.5” (deep) x 9” (high). The new TRIDION‐9 GC‐TMS features electronic pressure control (EPC) of the helium GC carrier gas and an on‐board rechargeable battery system for renewable power.

Samples are introduced into the GC‐TMS by direct liquid injection or by using Torion’s novel CUSTODION® SPME syringes. Target analytes in air, headspace, liquid or dissolved solid samples are rapidly trapped on the active coated surface of the SPME fiber, which is mounted in an easy‐to‐operate injection molded syringe. The TRIDION‐9 GC‐TMS provides step‐by‐step sample injection instructions via the system’s 7” LCD colour touchscreen and graphical user interface (GUI).

The TRIDION‐9’s on‐board firmware controls all GC and TMS system operations automatically without user intervention. However, Torion‘s PC‐based operating CHROMION™ software enables the user to edit the GC-TMS method parameters, calibrate the instrument, and develop target analyte libraries for automated detection and identification of targeted chemical compounds based on their characteristic retention times and mass spectra. Results are reported in an easy‐to‐understand tabular format that is displayed on the TRIDION’s LCD touchscreen. CHROMION software also provides display, plot and view, as well as data processing capabilities for not only the TRIDION‐9 GC‐TMS, but also other MS data files.

The new TRIDION‐9 GC‐TMS from Torion is not only portable, but also fast, reliable and easy to operate. The new TRIDION‐9 miniature GC‐TMS system is ideally suited for rapid (less than 5 min), highly sensitive and selective detection of a wide variety of compounds including, explosives, toxic industrial chemicals, environmental pollutants and a variety of other hazardous and non-hazardous substances.