I am working on two plants for my PhD and I want to know if GC be used as final tool for identification?
Now-a-days LC MS is more commonly used, due to its versatality in detection of all types of phytochemicals. GC-MS may also be used, however, it is more restricted to the volatile and heat stable components. Ya, non-volatile components may be derivatized and detected in GC-MS. I would suggest you to do some referencing on the different methods used for compound detection in your plants.
Normally, simple GC with FID is not use as identification tool.
Instead, GC-MS (EI) is use for identification or confirmation due to mass spectrum.
Here mass use as detector
If your compound is know you could use for CG identification( Highly non polar or volatile )otherwise your compounds is unknown or new you have to use Hyphenated Techniques(LC/MS, NMR ) for identification of compounds.
All the best!!!
GC is only a way to quantify individual compounds in the pefect case of non-overlapped product. It will however give you an idea of family of product and fonction considering retention Indice on both apolar and polar column. MS and NMR will be needed to identy correct isomer of various compounds.
There is a very old school approach. You can run your samples and standards on two separate GC columns feeding FIDs. The odds that some interfering compound will have the same retention time as your analyte on both columns is extremely small.
Having said that, the choice of stationary phases for the columns obviously is going to be critical. Call tech support at your chromatography products supplier, they can make suggestions.
You will also need to have good quality standards.
Good Luck!
Kevin
Respected Sir,
I feel that GC is definitely not the final tool for the identification of Phytocompounds in plant samples. You can also proceed your work with LC-MS, HPTLC analysis and finally compound isolation and characterization studies.
Dear sandeep,
first thing is that u didn't tell which type of compound you have to analyze.
GC can become a final tool if you know your target compounds if it is volatile and thermally stable in nature otherwise go for HPLC/UPLC.
if you are going to analyse a new compound according to me, you should go for LC-MS.
All d best...
GC can't be used as a identification tool, as you will get many compounds eluting at same R.T.One can't say what is that compound by looking at the chromatogram, Isn't it ? For identifying it, you need mass and or NMR .Or match the standards UV/ IR spectrum with your compound , provided u know the structure.If unknown then go for str. elucidation by NMR or High resolution mass.
Yes u can predict the possible phyto chemicals present in the samples by using GC-MS.
No, GC alone can't be a final tool to identify unknown phytochemicals. It can provide you preliminary data. For the final tool one must use detailed spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, LC/MS, NMR etc)
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