Shimadzu Launches the GC-2010 Plus High-Performance Capillary Gas Chromatograph Offering World-Class Detector Sensitivity – Highly accurate and sensitive detection of residual pesticides and

other organic compounds

Shimadzu’s new GC-2010 Plus features world-class detection sensitivity, column oven cooling speed, and repeatability to achieve highly accurate, sensitive, and efficient analysis. The GC-2010 Plus is a high-performance, general-purpose capillary gas chromatograph that provides a powerful analysis tool in fields, such as foods and the environment, which demand detection of trace levels of harmful compounds. It was launched on 1 July 2009.

*The capillary gas chromatograph separates the multiple components of a sample in a capillary column, and then detects the components to determine the quantity of each. (A capillary column has an inner diameter of 0.2 to 0.5 mm and separates the components as the vaporized sample passes through it.)

Background to the Product Development

The capillary gas chromatograph is used for R&D and quality control applications in diverse fields including petrochemicals, fine chemicals, the environment, pharmaceuticals, foods, electronics and semiconductors, and fragrances. Recent years have seen a steadily increasing demand for highly sensitive, trace-level analysis as researchers look to develop high-value-added products and maintain high safety standards. Such analyses include the ppm-level analysis of impurities in the raw materials for fine chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals and resins, and the analysis of trace residual pesticides in foods. In addition, the increasing globalization of the economy demands highly reliable analysis results that are independent of the location and operator.

With enhanced detector sensitivity and analysis efficiency, the GC-2010 Plus meets these demands.

Major Features

1. World-class detector sensitivity

(1) Four-fold increase in FPD sensitivity

Improvements to the flame photometric detector’s (FPD) internal construction and optics have significantly improved its sensitivity. It offers four times the detection sensitivity for organic phosphorus compounds than previous Shimadzu detectors. It can also detect trace levels of residual pesticides and malodorous components, such as organic phosphorus compounds and organic sulfur compounds, in samples.

(2) Twice the FID sensitivity and more accurate FTD analysis

The adoption of low-noise cables and other improvements to the electrical components achieve double the flame ionization detector (FID) sensitivity of previous Shimadzu detectors, permitting the highly sensitive detection of general organic compounds.

Improvements to the flame thermionic detector (FTD), which is used for the analysis of organic nitrogen compounds and organic phosphorus compounds, ensure highly accurate and sensitive analysis.

2. Oven cooling time halved

A double-fan cooling system and optimized cooling air flow channels have improved the oven cooling time from 450°C to 50°C by nearly half: from 6 minutes for previous Shimadzu products to within 3.4 minutes. By allowing the next analysis to start sooner, this reduces the analysis cycle time and enhances analysis efficiency.

3. Good repeatability ensures stable analysis results

All units, including the column oven, sample injection unit, and flow controller, have been comprehensively optimized at the design stage to achieve repeatability for repeated analysis of the same sample to ensure stable analysis results.

Shimadzu is the top manufacturer of gas chromatographs in Japan, with over fifty percent share of the domestic market. Shimadzu also captures approximately twenty percent of the global market, particularly in China and India, to have the 2nd highest market share in the world.

The world-class sensitivity of the new GC-2010 Plus enhances sales promotion in strongly growing fields, such as petrochemicals, natural gas, and biofuels, and should improve Shimadzu’s market share in Japan and overseas.

Name GC-2010 Plus Capillary Gas Chromatograph

Instrument dimensions: 515(W) x 530(D) x 440(H)mm