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Quantitative Detection of Trace Explosive Vapors by Programmed Temperature Desorption Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detector
Published on: July 25, 2014
Two-dimensional gas chromatography with electron capture detection for the sensitive determination of specific
L Larsson1, J Jimenez, A Sonesson
1Department of Medical Microbiology, Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
Abstract:
A method was developed for determining two characteristic mycobacterial lipid constituents, tuberculostearic acid (as its pentafluorobenzyl ester) and 2-eicosanol (as its pentafluorobenzoyl ester), by using gas chromatography with electron capture detection. A microprocessor-controlled column-switching system (two-dimensional gas chromatography) facilitated sample preparation and increased specificity. The usefulness of the technique was illustrated by its ability to reveal picogram amounts of tuberculostearate in a suspension of Mycobacterium leprae isolated from a naturally infected armadillo. Two-dimensional gas chromatography with electron capture detection may in some instances provide a convenient alternative to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for use in demonstrating the presence of mycobacteria in a complex environment.
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