Inhalants of Abuse Libraries Added to Pro EZGC on Rtx-BAC1/2 and Rtx-BAC Plus 1/2 Column Sets

Screening for volatile inhalants of abuse, as well as analyzing for blood alcohol content, is commonly performed in forensic toxicology laboratories using headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID). Because these analyses are typically performed using FID detection, they generally use a dual column set-up, allowing for the use of a confirmation column with different selectivity than the primary column. Restek offers two unique column sets catered to these analyses: the Rtx-BAC1/Rtx-BAC2 and the Rtx-BAC Plus 1/Rtx-BAC Plus 2.

All four of these columns have been added to Restek’s Pro EZGC Chromatogram Modeler, with libraries of 60+ volatile inhalants of abuse, along with the typical blood alcohol screening compounds. The inhalants of abuse libraries contain common industrial solvents, refrigerants, as well as nitrites (aka “poppers”) and their bodily metabolites. The Pro EZGC chromatogram modeler can be used to optimize a separation method for your compounds of interest or help to potentially identify unknowns. In addition, one can make changes to parameters such as oven ramp rate, flow rate, carrier gas type, column dimensions, etc., and see the effect it would have on the chromatographic separation instantaneously, without even touching your GC.

The Pro EZGC Chromatogram Modeler can be found at the following URL: www.restek.com/proezgc. Once you create a free account and sign into the modeler, there are two ways to search: 1) Enter your compounds of interest. 2) Search by a specific phase and select compounds of interest.

When using the Pro EZGC Chromatogram Modeler, you can enter your compounds of interest and search or you can select from a list of compounds that are modeled on a specific stationary phase.

After you enter your compounds of interest, the modeler, by default, will develop a speed optimized separation on the column that you choose. You will be able to look at a model chromatogram and a list of the conditions used to achieve the separation. You can also use the software to manually alter conditions and see the result on the separation.

Below are some examples of models on the Rtx-BAC columns

Below is a list of all the compounds that have been modeled on these four columns. I’d be happy to hear any suggestions for additional compounds you would like to see on these column sets.

List of inhalants of abuse and standard BAC screening compounds that have been modeled on these column sets.