Organic fuelled flames in selective ionization detectors for chromatography

Summary

The selectivities of two flame-based ionization detectors identified as a Remote FID (RFID) and a Flame Thermionic Ionization Detector (FTID) have been improved by introducing methane as a fuel for the flame. Both the RFID and FTID feature a detector struture in which the ionization polarizer and collector are located several centimeters downstream of an oxygen-rich flame, rather than immediately adjacent to the flame as in a flame ionization detector. The RFID detects long-lived negative ions produced in the flame by the combustion of lead, tin, phosphorus, or silicon compounds. The FTID re-ionizes and detects neutral electronegative products generated by combustion of nitrogen, halogen, or phosphorus compounds. An organic-fuelled RFID can detect 1 pg Pb (Sn, P)/sec with a selectivity of the order of 10⁶ versus hydrocarbons. An organic fuelled FTID is applicable to detection of compounds at nanogram and higher levels. FTID selectivity for PCB compounds in a transformer oil matrix is of the order of 10⁵∶1. The improved selectivity achieved by using an organic-fuelled flame is also applicable to the detection of phospholipid and other non-volatile N, P, or Cl compounds using an FID/FTID detector accessory for a TLC/FID analyser.