Fuel cell detector for gas chromatography

Abstract

A novel platinum-based fuel cell design has been developed as a detector for use in gas chromatography, in particular for the study of readily oxidizable organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, some ethers and unsaturated hydrocarbons, and some inorganic compounds such as carbon monoxide. It therefore acts as a semi-specific detector for a wide range of organic compounds and may well have particular application in the analysis of petroleum and related products. Some loss of chromatographic resolution is apparent due to the inherent geometry of the fuel cell response.