Equipment

The EnVOC research group is equipped with state-of-the-art and advanced analytical instrumentation for trace analysis of (environmental) organic minorcomponents within a wide range of volatility and polarity.

For sampling and sample preparation of air and water matrices, EnVOC makes use of both whole air sampling (e.g. with Nalophane bags); and passive and active sorptive sampling (e.g. by use of Tenax-containing sorption tubes, PDMS-based SPME and SPDE devices,…). Extraction and clean-up instrumentation like ultrasonic and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) equipment is available to deal with complex liquid and solid samples.

EMWith respect to analytical instrumentation, EnVOC is equipped with modern apparatus for both gas and liquid chromatography and sensitive and selective detection, such as TD-GC-MS instrumentation, flame ionization detection (GC), UV-VIS PDA-detection (HPLC), and innovative high resolution multidimensional mass spectrometry hyphenated to both GC and HPLC, available at AMBERLab (for more details: see www.amberlab.UGent.be). Very recently, the analytical equipment has been extended with a highly innovative SIFT-MS (Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry) instrument enabling on-line and on-site trace analysis of VOCs at the ppbv level.

>>>> Click here to see pictures of our instruments. <<<<

Mass Spectrometry

  1. Thermo Finnigan MAT95XP-Trap LC-MS and GC-MS
    • Tandem Mass Spectrometer based on high resolution magnetic sector and Ion-Trap MSn system with API ( ESI, APCI ) and EI/CI ionization.
    • Mass resolution up to 60000.
    • To learn more about Advanced Mass Spectrometry: visit AmberLab Mass Spectrometry.
  2. Syft Technologies Voice200 SIFT-MS
    • SIFT-MS (Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry) accurately identifies and quantifies low atomic mass VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). The analysis occurs through a process of chemical ionisation in a reaction tube (in a flow tube).
    • For more information: see also Syft Technologies.
  3. Thermo Trace-DSQ and Thermo Focus-DSQII with Markes International Ultra/Unity thermal desorption.
    • Benchtop Dual Stage Quadrupole mass spectrometers.
    • More than 25 years of experience in analysis of VOC's with thermal desorption.

Chromatography

  1. Thermo Surveyor HPLC with Autosampler, LC-pump and PDA detector.
  2. Various brands of GC instruments, most of them with split/splitless injector and FID detector:
    • Agilent 6890A
    • Agilent 4890D
    • Carlo Erba GC8000 Top
    • and another 4 Chrompack and Varian models.
  3. Dionex ICS-90 Ion Chromatograph with Autosampler.

Other instruments

  1. Dionex Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) system.
  2. Field Autosampler MTS-32 for 1/4" VOC sample tubes.
  3. Shimadzu UV-1650 UV-VIS Spectrofotometer.
  4. Tekmar Purge & Trap concentrator.
  5. CTC Analytics CP9025 Headspace Autosampler.
  6. Anseros Ozomat GM ozone analyzer
  7. I.G.A.S. ozone generators