Characteristics of the TEA detector in use with high pressure liquid chromatography

It was found that the response of the TEA detector was highly dependent on the operating temperature of the furnace and on the flow rate of gas that is used to purge the furnace. It was also found that the response of the detector was very highly dependent on the volatility of the nitroso compound and the optimum operating conditions were also very different for low and high volatility compounds. When samples containing equal quantities of NDMA, NPYR, NPRO and NPIC were chromatographed at low furnace temperatures, only the peaks for NPRO and NPIC (low volatility) were observed. When a high furnace temperature was used, only NDMA and NPYR (high volatility) were routinely observed. At intermediate temperatures, all four compounds could usually be observed. Under optimum conditions, the sensitivity was 3 microgram/ml for NPRO and 5 microgram/ml for NPIC.