Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer

Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (TD-GCMS) is a sensitive and solvent-free technique for the analysis of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs). Compounds are collected and preconcentrated onto sorbent tubes, then released by controlled heating and transferred to a focusing trap before GCMS analysis. This two-stage desorption process concentrates trace analytes into a narrow band, providing enhanced sensitivity and chromatographic resolution. By eliminating solvent extraction and enabling analysis of large volumes of air or vapours, TD-GCMS is particularly powerful for trace-level VOC monitoring.

Our automated thermal desorber coupled with GCMS (PerkinElmer) provides fully controlled, high-sensitivity analysis of VOCs and SVOCs. Its two-stage thermal desorption system combines controlled tube desorption with a Peltier-cooled focusing trap, concentrating analytes prior to rapid transfer onto the GC column for improved peak shape and sensitivity. The system supports automated tube handling, trapping up to 300 °C, and sample recollection for repeat or confirmatory analysis.

TD-GCMS is particularly suited to trace VOC and SVOC analysis in environmental, occupational, industrial and materials research. Applications include indoor and ambient air quality, workplace exposure monitoring, industrial emissions, soil vapour, building and construction material emissions, automotive interior air quality, flavours and fragrances, and chemical off-gassing from polymers, electronic components and consumer products. Sorbent-tube sampling allows VOCs to be collected directly in the field and subsequently analysed at lab, making TD-GCMS especially valuable for air toxics and environmental monitoring, including established sorbent-tube approaches with US EPA Method TO-17.