My first experience with a chromatograph was in 1961 with a PerkinElmer instrument separating some light hydrocarbons, including benzene and toluene. It was a tremendous advance, since it provided both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
In the intervening decades, I’ve been impressed with the evolution of analyzers using gas chromatography. Many have multiple columns connected with automated valves to enable unique automated workflows. PerkinElmer in particular has a rich history with GC-engineered solutions, with over 100 standard GC analyzers with thousands of customized configurations for specific applications.
Recently, PerkinElmer introduced the Clarus 590 and 690 instruments, which include major enhancements to the existing platform. I contacted Charlie Schmidt, GC product line leader, and Manny Farag, manager of chromatography solutions, for more details on the new Clarus models.
RLS: I recognize the distinctive wavy top of the Clarus (Figure 1) from its introduction in the early 1990s. What’s new under the hood?
Figure 1 – Clarus GC with SQ 8 MS and TurboMatrix MultiPrep Autosampler.CS: We decided to build upon the reliable and proven Clarus platform with two significant improvements: a new capillary injector and a new flame ionization detector (FID). The existing Clarus system already provides a stable, large-volume column oven with industry-leading temperature stability plus rapid temperature programming and short cool-down performance. These combined features enable customers to run their applications with better performance and efficiency.
MF: The Clarus is indeed a solid GC platform, so there was no need to reinvent the wheel. PerkinElmer has successfully developed more than 1000 engineered GC systems across food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical end markets. By keeping the core Clarus technology, users are assured to have the strengths of the existing platform with its new and powerful features.
In addition to delivering reliable and robust Clarus technology for decades, we offer worldclass postsales service and support. Our policy is to commit to full support, including parts availability for a minimum of seven years from date of purchase. But in reality, since our GCs are so stable and reliable, we often see instruments running for decades. Indeed, we still support the legacy AutoSystem series, which preceded the Clarus GC platform. The average lifetime of our GCs is over a decade, which is phenomenal for modern analytical instrumentation.
RLS: What is the difference between the Clarus 590 and 690 GC?
MF: Our Clarus 590 and 690 GC both include virtually the same new powerful functionality. But if your lab needs the highest levels of throughput, the difference between the models is that the Clarus 690 is equipped with the fastest heat-up and cool-down oven available in a conventional GC. The ballistic oven cool-down time from 450 °C to 50 °C happens in less than 2 minutes. That means you have the ability to run more samples per day, maximizing your productivity.
RLS: Okay, so you kept the chassis, what about the electronics? Certainly, these have changed over the last 20 years.
MF: Certainly, they have. We have incorporated changes based on customer needs. A major goal of the Clarus 590/690 project was to improve the linear dynamic range of the flame ionization detector. It has increased by 100-fold to 107, with new FID amplifier electronics. This best-in-class linear dynamic range greatly simplifies assays for trace materials, such as residual solvents in inert and active ingredients in pharmaceuticals.
RLS: Any changes to the FID cell itself?
MF: Yes, we redesigned the detector for better performance, and decreased the diameter of the column effluent jet to the FID, which significantly reduces hydrogen consumption. Plus, no makeup gas is required due to the efficient sweeping of the column effluent by hydrogen combustion gas.
CS: We also redesigned PerkinElmer’s split/splitless capillary injector to improve sample transfer to the column. This greatly reduces metal catalyzed degradation of labile analytes like residual pesticides, such as dieldrin and aldrin. Please see Figures 2 and 3, which compare the schematic of the injector.
Figure 2 – CAP injector schematic.
Figure 3 – CAP inlet versus AutoSystem inlet.While we are talking about these new features to the Clarus platform, we’ve added yet another sample handling option to our industry-leading portfolio, the TurboMatrix MultiPrep Autosampler. This option includes automatic liquid high-capacity sampling, plus advanced functionality like solid-phase microextraction (SPME), headspace, barcode validation, and sandwich liquid injection.
MF: Now customers have more choices when adding automated sample preparation. In addition to our proprietary best-in-class TurboMatrix headspace and thermal desorption systems, the new MultiPrep Autosamplers offer flexibility and advanced functionality.
RLS: Manny, you seem so proud of the 1000+ analyzers that PerkinElmer has developed over the last 30 years. What are the most interesting applications?
MF: Some of the most interesting applications are for the petrochemical industry. We build turnkey solutions that meet or exceed a wide range of industrial testing requirements across the globe. There is a high interest in our FOIL and GOIL GC analyzers. They are designed to analyze fuel (FOIL) or glycerol (GOIL) to help prevent deterioration of high-capacity engines found in very large trucks and heavy industrial equipment. By testing the oil regularly, you can detect oil degradation and predict when it needs to be changed, which can lower your overall maintenance costs and avoid damage to the engine.
RLS: Charlie, can you tell me about some interesting applications in other industries?
CS: Sure, cannabis testing requirements are growing and quite diverse. With 31 states now that have legalized the use of medicinal cannabis, there is an emerging need to run cannabis methods per varying state/city regulations. Some of these methods include testing for pesticide residues, potency, and residual solvents, all of which we have the technology for. Our robust QSight LC/MS/MS platform enables Oregon cannabis testing labs to screen and quantify up to 59 pesticides in a single run without the need for cleaning the mass spec. Our GC/FID and GC/MS systems can run methods for potency testing, identification, and quantification of THC and CBD, as well as extracting residual solvents from high-concentration cannabis resin or oil.
MF: We also have an interesting application that spans a number of different industries, including food and pharmaceutical. Many businesses, such as semiconductor, nanotechnology, forensics, and scientific instrumentation, also store raw materials or high-precision assembly components in a clean and protected environment prior to processing. Due to cost, availability, convenience, and minimization of cross-contamination, the container of choice is often a resealable plastic bag. These bags may be rated for human safety, particulates, or metal contamination, but rarely for volatile or semivolatile organics. In addition to accidental contaminants, there may also be processing-related contaminants, which are often undocumented.
While the food and pharmaceutical industries have numerous tests for extractables and leachables using test conditions relevant to their products focused on human safety, the method we developed combines solvent microextraction, static syringe headspace, and headspace SPME in an automated process using the MultiPrep+, our new multifunction GC autosampler. Looking at FDA-rated bags, we found contamination at sufficiently high concentration to raise concern about possible contamination of stored items.
RLS: What about compatibility with chromatography data systems (CDS)?
MF: The Clarus 590 and 690 have a large, full-color touchscreen that supports eight languages. Users have one-touch access to all the functionality they need, including real-time chromatographic data. Both the Clarus 590 and 690 can be controlled by our TotalChrom CDS or Waters Empower 3 software.
RLS: Can you summarize what these major Clarus enhancements mean to customers?
MF: Customer requirements continue to be more complex across multiple industries. We find that most customers need to run more samples in less time, at lower costs, reliably, and with confidence. Our new Clarus enhancements address these challenges and enable better GC for both standard and complex applications.
Robert L. Stevenson, Ph.D., is Editor Emeritus, American Laboratory/Labcompare; e-mail: [email protected]