Flame ionisation detector

Selerity Technologies has developed an interface for its Aquachrom 'green machine', claimed to be the first instrument to use superheated water as the mobile phase for HPLC separations.

The interface has been designed to use the flame ionisation detector (FID) by controlling the water eluent as it enters the detector.

The interface ensures that a blast or stream of water does not extinguish the flame during a run. Comprising small metal beads sintered inside a stainless steel tubing placed directly into the FID, the restrictor delivers the water as a fine mist so that the flame maintains stability.

The interface can be attached directly to the outlet of the column to achieve high sensitivity with small diameter columns or the flow can be split for use with more conventional columns.

The Aquachrom directly applies the principles of gas chromatography theory to the requirements of liquid chromatography, providing the added benefits of decreased elution times, increased efficiencies and universal detection.

By using superheated water instead of organic solvents as the mobile phase for chromatographic runs, the FID oven is suitable for laboratories looking for more environmentally-friendly instrumentation and green chemistry techniques.

The device is capable of isothermal and temperature programming operation with the option of using 1.0, 2.1 or 4.6 mm columns.