Analysis Flashcards
Describe the method for electrospray ionisation (give the equation)
- Sample is dissolved in a volatile solvent
- Then injected through a fine hypodermic needle to give a fine mist
- Tip of the needle is attached to a positive terminal (high voltage)
- particles ionised by giving a H+ ion from the solvent as they leave the needle forming XH+ ions
- X(g) + H+ –> XH+(g)
Describe the method for electron impact ionisation (give the equation)
- Sample is vaporized
- High energy electron is fired at the sample
- Knocking one electron from each particle forming 1+ ions (called the molecular ion)
- X(g) + e- –> X+(g) + 2e-
What sort of elements is electron gun ionisation used for?
elements with low formula mass (not suitable for biological samples) - lots of fragementation
What elements is electrospray ionisation used for?
elements with higher molecular mass (proteins)
What is electrospray ionisation also called and what rarely happens?
Known as ‘soft’ ionisation and fragmentation rarely occurs
Describe acceleration in a mass spectrometer
- positive ions are accelerated using an electric field
- so all the ions have the same kinetic energy
What does velocity of the ions depend on?
- Mass of each particle (lighter = faster)
How do you find retention factor in chromatography?
Rf = Dspot/Dsolvent
What is chromatography governed by?
IMFs between mobile and stationary phases
explain elution chromatography?
solution of mobile phase with sample injected in, then mobile phase continually added to move it down the column
what is Tm?
retention time when no interactions to the stationary phase
how to find T’R?
T’R = TR-Tm
How do you find relative retention time?
relative retention time = T’R2/T’R1 (different components)
how do you find retention factor for elution chromatography? What value do you want and why?
Rf (K’)= T’R/Tm
K’<1 (goes through too fast) K’>20 (too slow)
you want 1
What are the stationary and mobile phases in Gas-liquid chromatography?
stationary = sticky liquid on inert substrate mobile = gas
How do you find partition coefficient? and factors that affect it?
K = [A]s/[A]m Large K = high affinity for stationary Small K = high affinity for mobile Bigger Mr = bigger K K decreases with temp
What is Vr? and how do you find it?
Vr = volume of mobile phase to make solute to go through the column Vr = retention time x volumetric flowrate
What happens as bands move down a column? How do you decrease this?
band broadening
this decreases efficiency
select conditions so that rate of broadening < rate of separation
advantage/disadvantage of a long column?
- solute separates better but bands broaden more
Explain plate theory in relation to chromatography.
- plate theory supposes that a column contains lots of plates and separate things happen to the sample in each plate
- N (no of plates) = L (column length)/ H (plate height)
- You need a lot of plates for good separation but if the column is too long = band broadening (each plate needs to be as short as possible)
Explain rate theory in relation to chromatography.
- this supposes that the same molecule can travel by different routes (causes band broadening) H = A + B/U + CsU + CmU A = eddy diffusion B = longitudinal diffusion Cs = stationary mass transfer Cm = mobile mass transfer U = linear velocity (L/Tm)
What is band broadening caused by?
band broadening is caused by the same molecule taking different times:
- slow mass transfer between mobile and stationary
- flow distribution of the mobile phase throughout the column, resulting in different longitudinal diffusion
- eddy diffusions
- different paths
How do you find resolution? draw diagram to show what the terms in the equation mean.
Rs = delta z /(Wa/2 +Wb/2)
= delta T/Wav
What is the procedure of GLC? How do you improve accuracy of GLC?
1) Liquid sample introduced through heated injector (vaporising it)
2) Sample is diluted by mobile gas phase
3) components separate due to IMFs
4) different components reach detector at different times
- don’t want too big of a sample (want sample to be injected as a plug of vapour)
- Slow injection of large sample = band broadening
Describe a packed column.
contain finely divided inert support material coated with sticky liquid
Describe capillary column.
WCOT (wall coated open tubular) = stationary phase coated on walls
SCOT (support coated open tubular) = wall lined with powder and then sticky liquid (increased SA)