Gas Chromatography/
Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals

How is gas chromatography/mass spectrometry used?

From research, to testing for environmental and food contaminants, to quality control, GC/MS systems are used for many quantitative analysis and screening applications. Here are just a few examples.

Environmental

As air, water, and soil contaminants become subject to stricter regulation, analysts are relying on GC/MS for consistent, high-quality data.

Foods and fragrances

GC/MS is indispensable to the food industry, where it is used to ensure product safety, quality, and authenticity.

Flavors and Fragrances

Food

Materials testing and consumer products

Manufacturers rely on GC/MS for structural and functional characterization of materials, as well as the detection, identification, and management of impurities.

Energy and chemical

For decades, GC/MS has been the technique of choice for testing and analyzing raw materials, intermediates, and finished products to ensure quality.

Crude oil refining

Materials used downstream in petrochemical plants

Pharmaceutical

Throughout the pharmaceutical industry, GC/MS is used to identify impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredients, and to perform compound analysis and characterization.

Analysis of pharmaceutical and mutagenic impurities (i.e. NDMA)

Forensic toxicology

Forensic labs use GC/MS for purposes as varied as finding drug compounds in urine to detecting traces of flammable chemicals in items from possible arson sites.

Sports doping

Planetary astronomy

instruments have been sent to , Saturn’s moon Titan, and other extraplanetary environments to analyze chemicals found there.

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