Abstract
Agilent 5973 GC-MS instrument was modified so that the capillary direct interface was removed and that a silicone membrane was installed between GC and MS. Feasibility study of the membrane interface GC-MS has been carried out. Vacuum of the mass spectrometer was not affected by the carrier gas flow rate up to $4.7m{\ell}/min$. As the carrier flow rate was increased, peak tailing was reduced and chromatogram peaks appeared earlier. Chromatogram peaks showed better separation and higher sensitivity as the membrane thickness was reduced from $127{\mu}m$ to $75{\mu}m$, and also as the interface temperature was increased. However, the membrane interface GC-MS had drawbacks such as background ions at 73 and 147 m/z and poor peak separation due to peak tailing.
GC-MS 의 기존 인터페이스와 새로운 인터페이스의 차이점과 유용성을 판단하기 위하여 Agilent 5973 GC-MS의 capillary direct interface를 떼어내고 GC와 질량분석기 사이에 실리콘 membrane을 장착하여 membrane interface GC-MS의 분석 유용성을 조사하였다. 최대 $4.7m{\ell}/min$ 까지 헬륨 운반기체유량을 올릴 때 질량분석기의 진공도는 거의 영향을 받지 않으며, 피이크끌림 현상이 줄어들고 머무른시간이 줄어드는 빠른 분석을 보였다. Membrane 의 두께를 $127{\mu}m$에서 $75{\mu}m$으로 줄일 때 분리능이 향상 되며, membrane interface의 온도를 올릴 때 분리능과 감도가 향상되었다. 그러나 membrane interface GCMS는 질량/전하 비 73, 147에서 바탕이온이 발생하는 것과 기존의 capillary direct insertion interface보다 낮은 감도와 peak tailing에 의한 낮은 분리능의 문제점을 갖는다.
