Next Generation Gas Chromatography Detector Launched

VUV Analytics (USA) formally announced the launch of their newest bench-top spectrometer, the VGA-101 gas chromatography (GC) detector at the 40^th International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography (ISCC) in Riva del Garda, Italy. Building upon the success of the innovative flagship instrument, the VGA-100 vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detector, the VGA-101 features an expanded wavelength, higher maximum allowable operating temperature, the ability to couple in-series with additional detectors, and significant gains in sensitivity. 

“VUV Analytics is actively pioneering innovations in VUV spectroscopy, from the launch of our award winning VGA-100 in 2014, the SVGA-100 for streaming gas applications in 2015, to the latest VGA-101. Our team is passionate about delivering VUV based optical solutions for a wide range of applications to the general scientific community,” said Sean Jameson, Senior Vice President of Business Development at VUV Analytics. "Responding to our customer's feedback, the VGA-101 detector is engineered to extend the application range and to provide improved sensitivity and selectivity for those larger molecules which may have strong absorption responses at longer wavelengths or may require elevated chromatography temperatures.”   

Most chemical compounds absorb strongly in VUV absorbance wavelength range (115 – 185 nm). Photons in this regime can produce electronic transitions in virtually all chemical bonds, especially in ground state to excited state transitions such as as  σ→  σ* and  π→  π*, which  cannot be probed by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The VUV region had historically been restricted to bright source synchrotron facilities. The VGA-101 is a bench-top spectrometer capable of complete VUV absorbance detection.

An expanded wavelength spectrum of 120 – 430 nm provides unique selectivity for complex structures such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that have strong primary absorption responses in the upper UV region. The ability to operate the VUV detector’s transfer line and flow cell as high as 450° C enables the analysis of higher boiling point compounds. Additional engineering advancements have resulted in the ability to hyphenate with orthogonal detectors and led to significantly lower detection limits. The use of spectral filters in a targeted wavelength region further increases analyte sensitivity. Equipped with these novel enhancements, the VGA-101 serves as a robust universal detector for customers seeking new solutions to old analytical problems.