ANALYTICAL APPLICATIONS OF GC-MES IN THE ULTRAVIOLET-VISIBLE AND VUV REGIONS OF THE SPECTRUM (VACUUM-ULTRAVIOLET, GAS, CHROMATOGRAPHY, MICROWAVE, EMISSION)

Gas chromatography coupled with microwave emission detection is investigated for the determination of hydrogen gas in human breath. The hydrogen breath test is a useful indirect method for the diagnosis of a condition known as lactose malabsorption. Detection of NH radical emission from the argon plasma leads to improved sensitivity for hydrogen. Analytical development, breath sample collection and method validation procedures are discussed.; The observation of microwave induced plasma emission in the vacuum ultraviolet region of the spectrum is discussed in the second portion of this study. Selective gas chromatographic detection of organic compounds in this spectral region is investigated in the interest of improving sensitivity and selectivity. Analytical conditions are optimized for the determination of iodine and sulfur compounds. The possibility of detecting spectral emission from other nonmetals is also presented in this preliminary work.