HELP! Grad needs GC!

[Uncle Al Schwartz]

Nicholas Landau wrote:
> 
> Dear friends:
> 
> HELP!  I am a grad student at Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ.  I am
> searching for an instrument with which to measure millimolar (or better
> yet, micromolar) concentrations of H2 in the headspace of culture vessels.
> 
> From what I understand, there are two instruments which fit the bill.
> 
> One is a GC equipped with a molecular sieve column, an oven which can be
> programmed to run a temperature gradients (or a dual detector,) and a
> TCD.  One would use Ar or N2 as the carrier gas.
> 
> Even more sensitive is a trace gas analyzer, equipped with a reducing
> mercury hydrogen probe.
> 
> If anybody knows of such an instrument in the NYC - Philadelphia area
> which could be used periodically, I would be very grateful of any
> news.  So far, I have not been able to locate one at RU, at least one
> which is currently operational.  I would value any leads whatsoever.

If ALL you want to see is hydrogen... all you need is a helium leak detector 
retuned for mass 2 instead of mass 4.  Nanomolar should be a snap, with 
infinitesimal sample size.  Calibrate with a permeation tube.

-- 
Alan "Uncle Al" Schwartz
UncleAl0 at ix.netcom.com ("zero" before @)
uncleal at uvic.ca        (to 30 July, cAsE-sensitive!)
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