Response Factors for Gas Chromatographic Analyses by W. A. Dietz, Esso Research and Engineering Company Analytical Research Division, Linden, New Jersey Abstract, While there are many types ef detec: tors employed in gas chromategcaphs, ‘most units amploy eithor flame ionize tion or thermal conductivity detector: GC trace, it is necessary to use carte tion factors; the amount of {he correc: tion i¢ a function of the response of 2 given compound te the detecting de- vice. Flame fonization Detectors Relative sensitivity values for the flame ionization detector are listed in Table I. Each area is divided by the relative sensitivity to get true area, Normalizing the results gives weight peréent of each component. For hydrocarbons, with two ex: ceptions, the values are all approx: imately 10. The two exceptions are benzene 1.12, and toluene 1.07. For other compounds, the rela- tive sensitivity valees vary appre ciably. Alcohols, for example, vary from 0.23 to 0.5; acids, from 0.01 {0 0465, ete. The use of the correct relative sensitivity is, therefore, most important when dealing with nonhydrocarbous. ‘Thermal Conductivity Detectors Rosie and Grob (2) and others determined relative response val- tues for many of the hydrocarbons to thermal conducti They found the same thermal re- sponse for thermislors and hot wire Fhe L al Marie filoments, Further, the response val- vues were independent of tempera ture, carrier gas, flow rate, and con- ‘centration, ‘These response valucs have a precision of about 23% tabulation of thermal response vA ues are shown in Table IT, These values are used as follows: ‘Area under the curve divided by the relative response value of that compound gives a true response value. Normalizing the true re- spouse values gives the mole per cent of any component. If the sam- ple analyzed is a gas, the normal. ized true response velues are equa! to the gas volume %. ‘Area under the curve multiplied by the Weight Factor gives tie tru ‘weight area. When these values are normalized, the resulls are wei percent of each compound. Table |. Relative Sensitivity Data for Hydrogen Flame Detector. Normal Paraffins (1,3) Methane os Ethane 097 Propane oss, Butane 1.09 2.03) 2) Pentane 104 Hexane 1.03 Heptane 1.00 Octane os Nonane oss Branched Poraffins (1,3) Isopentane 1.05 22-Dimethylbutane 104 23-Dimethslhutane 193 2 'Metlyipentane 3.05, 3-Metiiyipeatane 1.04 2-Metlythesane 102 3-Methylhexane 1902 22-Diimethytpeatane 102 22. Nimethyentan 99 24-Dimethylyentane 1.02 33-Dimethylpeatane 1.93 3-Fthylpentane 1.92 me, Table II, Response Factors for Thermal Conductivity Detectors. ‘Thermal Weighs Be. Sai SE) Reyne Factor Normal aralins (23) wa Methane | eozse 16857 T's Ehane’ fons 3 Bia — 42 Propane 3 0015S 44 OS — 05 Butane ¢ 0.08 5a 85 Foe Pantene § jeonsa m2 108 6 Heune & cous 8 im 98 Heptane 7 oe obs] 100143 18 Oclne Giemsa 160 Tt’ Nonane 9 geeks 13177 1h Decane 1 fevws 12 a 180 Undeeme ise 138 2st "Telrnecane sD ae ga BronchedParlfins (23) a ebane eo oe mb 10 Neeponiane 2 So Bath ttane oe mB & ne & ei & se 113 ° wo 1m a 11 0 100 135Table |. (continued) Relative 3-Methylheptane 4-Methytheptane 2,3-Dimnethythexane 244-Dimothyihexane 25-Dimethyihexane 34-Dimethythexane ‘BEthytherane 2-Methyl--ethylpentane ‘Trimethylpentane ‘Trimethylpentane 3.3-Dimethylheptane 2A-Dimethyl-S-ethylpentane 22,3-Trimethylhexane 2.2.4-Trimethylhexane Trimethylhexane 2.3,3-Trimethythexane 2.3.5-Trimethythexane 244-Trimethylhexane 2.2.3,3-Tetramiethylpentane 22.3;4-Tetramethylpentane 23.8.4-Tetramethylpentane 335-Trimethytheplane 22.3A-Tetramethylhexane 212.4;5-Tetramethylhexane Cyelopentones (1,3) Cyclopentane ‘Methyleyclopentane Ethyleyclopentane 1,1-Dimethyleyelopentane ‘T-1,2-Dimethyleyelopentane €-1,2-Dimethyleyclopentane ‘P.A,B-Dimethyleyclopentane €13-Dimethyleyelopentane IMT2-Ethyleyelopentane MC? Ethyleyetopentane AMT3-Ethyleyclopentane IMC3.Bihyleyelopentane 1.2-Trimethy eyelopentane 11,8-Trimetbyl- eyelopentane T-12C3-Trimethy!- ceyclopentane PA2CH-Trimethyt- ‘eyelopentane CA,ZY3-Trimethyl- eyclonentane’ C-L274-Trimethyl- eyclopentane Isopropyleyclopentane n-Propyleyclopentane Cyctohexanes (1.3) Cyclohexane Methyleyclohoxane Ethyleyelohexane enethyleyctohexane Dimethyleyelehexane wlliyleyelohexaie 099 1.01 1.00 098 038 Lot 101 Tot 103 101 86 al 30 92 93 99 Table Hl. (continued) ‘Compound 3.5-Dimethylpentane 222.:Trimethylbutane 2-Methythexane 3.-Methythexane 3.Ethyipentane 2.24-Trimethylpentane Unsaturates 104 +40d 2a 85 898888.ro04 2B 110 330 4 Ethylene 0.0208 Propylene oss Isebutylene Butene-1 2,014 trans-Butene-2 cis-Butene-2 oe ‘3-Methylbutene-1 2-Methylbutene-1 Pentene-1 2.0108 trans-Pentene-2 cis-Pentene-2 2-Methylpentene-2 power 244-Trimethylpentene-T Propadiene 13-Butadiene Gyclopentadiene Troprene L-Methyldjelohexene Methylacetylene Dicyclopentadiene 4-Vinyleyclohexene Cyclopentene Other Unsaturates ‘Norbornene Norbornadiene Cycloheptatriene 1,3-Cyclooctadiene 15-Cyclooctadiene 1,35;7-Cyclooctatetraene Cycladodecatriene (TTT) Cyclododecatrione Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene meta Xylene para-Xylene fortho-Xylene Isopropylbenzene B-Propylbenzene 124-Trimethylbenzene 1.23-Trimethylbenzene pEthyttotuene 1,88-Trimethylbenzene utylbeazene Biphenyl ‘ortho-Terphenyl (1,2-diphenylbenzene) meta-Terphenyl (1,3-diphenylbenzene) para-Terpheny! (Loi-diphenylbenzenc) ‘Triphenyloethane Naphthalene « Tetralin 1-Methyltetea L-Ethsticteatia trang-Deeatin Mw 103 108 162 362 MG 160 ‘Thermal Response 133 129 135 133 1st MT we Factor 0750 ons o7as 0752 0763 ons 0890 0528 oss 0852 0826, 910 0.965 1.08 0.780 o794 0818 12 ost 0840 osi7 0826 0.800, 0896 0.805 os? os12 1.0co 103 1.95 0923 os10 0927 ot 64.5Table |. (continued) Retative Sensi- Cy IMC4-Etiyleyelohexane 1,12-Trimethyleyelohexane Jaopropyleyclohexane Cyetaheptane Aromatics (1,3) Benzene Toluene Ethylvenzene para-Xylene meta-Xylene ortho-Xylene IM2-Ethylhenzene 1M3-Ethylbenzene IM4-Ethytbenzene 1,23-Trimethyltenzene 1/24-Trimethylbenzene 113.6-Trimethylbenzene Teopropylbenzene n-Propylbenzene AM2-Lsopropylbenzene AM3-Isopropylbenzene IMG-leopropylbenzene ‘ec.Butylbenzene tert -Dutylbenzene n-Butylbenzene Unseturates (1) Alcohols (1.3) Methanol Ethanal ~> 1-Propanol Isopropanol n-Butanol Isobutanol sec-Dutanol tert -Butanol Aryl sleohol Methylisobutylearbi Methylamy! alcohol Hexyl alechol Oct leche! Decyl aleobiol Pentozot Aldehydes (1) Butyraldehyde Heptanoie aldehyde Octaldehyde Caprie aldehyde Acids (1) Formic ‘Acetic Propionic Butyric Hexanoie Heptanaie Octanoie ‘ters (1.8) Methylncetate 112 0.01 024 040 048, oss ost 020 Table tl. (continued) Bee Compound Mw. Cyelopurafine 49, Cyclopentane 0 72 Methyleyelopentane « 88 I-Dimethyleyclopentane 96 103 EWiyleyctopentane $3 300 cis-L2-Dimethyleyclopentane 98 SL cis + trans-.d-Dimethyleyclopentane 98 HG 124-Trimetinyleyclopentane (CTC) m 108 12A-Trimethyleyelepentane (CCT) 2 81 Gyclohexane a 101 ‘Methyleyetohexane 96 120 1,4-Dimethyleyeloherane m 118.124 14-Dimethyleyeiohecane 12 132 Ethyleyelohexane 12 155 n-Propyleyclohexane 125, 139112 Trimethyleyclohexane 126 Inorgenic Compounds Argon “0 Nitrogen 00236 23 Oxygen 00270 2 Carbon dioxide ob208 44 Carbon monoxide p02 38 Carbon tetrachloride 154 Ton carbonyl (Fe(CO,)) 195 Hydrogen sultide Ey Water 0.003 18 it oes Hetero Compounds" $i%, + 1a Pyrrole er 132 Hexylamine 101 1 Ethyleneoside “ 35 Propylencoride 58 = 62 Hydrogen sulfide 4 7 Methyl mereaptan 8 35 Ethyl mereaplan 82 68 1-Propancthiel %6 65 Tetrahrdrofuran 2 119 Thiophane (eyetie sulfide) 8 165 Ethyl silicate 208 21 Acetaldehyde “4 135 Callocive 90 Nitrogen Compounds 71 nButylamine 2 14 n-Peniylamine a Il Pyrrole ‘r 90 Pysroline 69 a ns 9 1256-Tetrahydropyridine 83 106 Piperidine 5 73 Acrylonitrile 3 97 Propionitvite 58 118 n-Butyronitrile © 184 Aniline 93 238 = Quinoline 129 203 trans-Decabydroquinotine 139 206 — cis-Decahydroquinoline 133 3 Ammonia 7 Ozygenated Compounds Ketones 86 Acetone 5a 80 Meliyithythetone PAE, a Wherinal Response _Facior a 45 124 126 10 33 303 208 107 4 152 ut Weight 095 087 0x0 os15 087 143 1.30 0x9 035, Cee pare 0780 070 0738 0730 0510 0720 0750 70870 0.855 0.998 0.630 0830 06s 037 078 03 078 073 oat 083 065, 08 82 067 19 his 02 08 onsoative ‘Thermal Weight Ethyl-(2)- 195 .2-Nonanone M42 161 O84 eae oe Nitrogen Compounds (1) Alcohols nt ll ees taal Steet coe pet eee ante acon! 049 153 3-Methylpentanol-1 86 107 0.80 Methylethylketone 061 119 2-Pentanol 88 0 0.80 Ethylbutyliketone O71 102. -2-Methyl-2-butanol 88 106 083 Ethylamylketone 0.60 135 3-Hexanol 102 125. 0.80 Cyclohexanone O72 140 2-Hexano! 102, 130 om Peatoxone 0.56 176 —_n-Heptanot 16 128 OSL QuieecSoteny ey) | BO Beals oe Bae tee | ig, Qelng eae jote: Divide peak area by relative ee aa Literature Cited 35 Diethyl ether mm 110 0.67 a ‘atic 2. Rosie, D. M, et al, Anal, Chem. 31, beatin aetna eae eee nat ons ae a Unpublished data, Cassidy, FL J, 2.5-Hexanediol aa Quiram, E.R, Esso Research and 179 1,10-Decanectiol 108 ‘Engineering Company, 1961-1966. 1,12-Decanediol no oe re te Manuscript ives December 3, 1966 hutiteih 9 Woy = OB Shom upd Reprinted by permission of the editors of the Journal of Gas Chromatography Formadehyde : 31,3 2 Tom Todd