Frequently Asked Questions: Packed & Micropacked Columns
- How do I order a packed GC column?
- Can you recommend a capillary column equivalent for a particular packed column?
- Does the Rt®-XLSulfur separate sulfur dioxide from carbonyl sulfide?
- 4mm ID glass packed columns are popular, but you do not offer glass packed columns. What do you recommend?
- How do I install a packed column into a capillary GC injection port?
- How do I convert my instrument’s packed column injector to accept fused silica capillary columns?
- How do I install a micropacked column?
If your question doesn’t appear on the list, you can contact Restek’s expert chemists. (Please remember to include your company name and complete mailing address. Thanks!)
How do I order a packed GC column?
Can you recommend a capillary column equivalent for a particular packed column?
Does the Rt®-XLSulfur separate sulfur dioxide from carbonyl sulfide?
4mm ID glass packed columns are popular, but you do not offer glass packed columns. What do you recommend?
How do I install a packed column into a capillary GC injection port?
How do I convert my instrument’s packed column injector to accept fused silica capillary columns?
How do I install a micropacked column?
Browse our selection of stock packed columns. If you don't see what you need, complete our Custom Packed Column Form. On receipt of this detailed configuration information, we will quickly reply with price and delivery information.
Availability of a capillary equivalent to a given packed column depends on a number of variables. Some packed columns are similar to existing capillaries, but others have no direct equivalent. The USP Cross Reference Chart in the Packed Columns section of our general catalog is a good resource for these conversions.
Sulfur dioxide (not depicted) will elute approximately one minute after carbonyl sulfide (peak 2) on the Rt®-XLSulfur micropacked column.
 GC_PC00436
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Depending on what method or protocol you are following, you probably can use our passivated stainless steel columns, made with our exclusive SilcoSmooth® tubing. These columns combine the flexibility and durability of stainless steel with the inertness of fused silica. A 3.1mm ID (3/16-inch OD) SilcoSmooth® column will offer very comparable performance to a 4mm ID glass column, without the hazard of breakage. So, if your method does not specify glass, SilcoSmooth® tubing is an excellent alternative.
The easiest way to install a packed column into a capillary column injection port is to use a “pigtail” set-up. All that is needed is a short piece of deactivated 0.53mmID MXT® guard column tubing (which can be cut from cat.# 70045), appropriate compression unions (reducing or straight-through) and appropriate ferrules. For example, for 1/8 inch packed columns, reducing union 23168 along with ferrules 20202 (for the 0.53mmID MXT® column segment) is all that is needed. The same set-up can usually be used for the detector side.
Two types of inlet conversion kits adapt a ¼” packed column injection port to accept fused silica capillary columns: the Vu-Tight® liner and the Uniliner® liner with sleeve adaptor. The Vu-Tight® liner fits into the injection port and allows visual confirmation of the connection between the column and the liner. The Uniliner® liner and sleeve adaptor allow either direct or on-column injection when using fused silica capillary columns. Both systems incorporate a Press-Tight® connection between the liner and the column inlet, minimize dead volume, and reduce solvent peak tailing. Complete product descriptions and instrument compatibility information are given in our catalog.
To install into a capillary column injection port:
If the column tubing is too large to install through the current capillary column nut, you can use a “pig-tail” set-up with a 1/16” compression union like cat.# 23165. Simply connect a short piece of MXT® tubing (cut from cat.# 70045) into one end of the union with ferrule 20202, and use ferrule 21058 to install a 0.95mmID micropacked columns into the other end of the union; or for 1/16” OD columns, use the stainless-steel compression ferrules (which come with the compression union) to install into the opposite end of the union. The MXT® tubing should fit through most capillary column nuts. We may have an appropriate kit for Agilent GC’s which will make installation easier.
To install into a packed column injection port:
Check your instrument manual for instructions. For Agilent instruments, you may be able to use an injection port adaptor fitting like cat.# 21303 with an appropriate liner like cat.# 20967. For 0.95mmID columns, you will need ferrules 21058; for 1/16” OD columns, you can either use the stainless steel compression ferrule that is included with adaptor cat.# 21303, or use 1/16" graphite compression ferrules like cat.# 20207 or cat.# 21060.
