The continuing worldwide helium shortage has led to higher prices and uncertain supply for many helium users. Gas suppliers have been forced to limit shipments to contracted customers and even cut off supply to noncontract customers. One result of this supply shortage is the increasing trend to replace helium with purified hydrogen for carrier gas applications in gas chromatography.
Gas chromatography (GC) is a widely used analytical method in the chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, food, environmental, electronic, and medical industries as well as the industrial gas supply industry. Sales of gas chromatographs exceed $1 billion per annum worldwide.
Helium, nitrogen, or hydrogen can all be used as the carrier gas for most gas chromatography. Hydrogen is also used as a fuel gas for the flame ionization detectors that are used in some GC applications.
Of the three gases, hydrogen has the highest linear velocity and lowest viscosity allowing for fast, low temperature analysis and higher instrument throughput. The faster elution times can lead to lower GC column temperatures and a reduction of acidic sites within the GC column. These improvements will increase laboratory productivity and extend GC column life. Hydrogen is compatible for use with all detector types except for DID (Discharge Ionization Detector).
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