GC5

The GC5 is a gas chromatograph-based isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) system for high-sensitivity compound-specific isotope analysis. It is ideal for advanced applications in biogeochemistry and forensic research, where detailed insight at the molecular level is required.

By combining high-performance gas chromatography with isotope ratio mass spectrometry, the system enables precise analysis of individual compounds, even at very low concentrations. It delivers picomole-level sensitivity while maintaining chromatographic integrity during compound conversion.

Why is compound-specific isotope analysis important?

Compound-specific isotope analysis allows researchers to investigate the origin, transformation, and pathways of individual compounds within complex mixtures. This makes it a key technique in fields such as geochemistry, environmental science, and forensic analysis.

The GC5 exists to support these applications with high sensitivity and flexible configuration options.

What makes the GC5 highly sensitive?

The system is ideal to achieve very low detection limits without compromising peak quality.

Key performance characteristics:

• Picomole-level detection sensitivity
• Micro-volume GC reactor tubes with zero dead volume
• Preservation of chromatographic peak shape during combustion
• High signal fidelity for low concentration analytes

The micro-reactor design ensures stable oxidation performance over long periods, contributing to consistent analytical results.

How does it ensure reliable and stable analysis?

The GC5 uses continuous oxygen dosing in the furnace to maintain optimal oxidation conditions. This approach improves long-term stability and ensures consistent analytical performance.

Additional features supporting reliability include:

• Continuous O₂ dosing for stable combustion conditions
• Automated O₂ recharge for δ¹⁵N analysis, ensuring complete conversion to N₂
• Robust reactor design for long operational lifetime
• Minimal downtime during GC column and reactor tube exchange

How does the system improve workflow efficiency?

The GC5 is fully integrated with the lyticOS® Software Suite, which includes automated Peak Mapping functionality.

This enables:

• Rapid processing of complex chromatograms
• Automated identification and alignment of peaks
• Significant reduction in data processing time

As a result, it processes complex datasets in minutes instead of hours.

Which isotopes can be analyzed?

The GC5 supports online isotope ratio measurements of:

• δ¹³C
• δ¹⁵N
• δ²H (δD)
• δ¹⁸O

Capillary gas chromatography separates the compounds for these measurements.

Microreactor technology 

The GC5 uses microbore reactor technology to maintain chromatographic integrity during combustion.

This design:

• Preserves peak shape during conversion
• Enables accurate measurement of closely eluting compounds
• Avoids fragile ceramic reactor components
• Supports high-temperature operation up to 1,500 °C

The element-specific reactor configurations allow optimized performance for different isotope systems.

Multi-isotope flexibility

The GC5 is designed for rapid switching between isotope measurement modes, supporting multi-isotope workflows within a single platform.

It enables application-specific configurations for:

• Carbon and hydrogen in petroleum analysis
• Nitrogen in amino acids
• Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in flavors and fragrances

This flexibility simplifies method development and allows adaptation to different research requirements.

Sample types: 

• Alkanes
• PLFAs
• Biomarkers
• Amino acids
• Carbohydrates
• Steroid extracts
• Crude oil fractions
• Natural gases
• Drugs of abuse