Precise Time-Scaling of Gas Chromatographic Methods Using Method Translation and Retention Time Locking

Complete development of a gas chromatographic method often involves a significant amount of effort. Once a method is completed, retention time locking (RTL) can be used to implement the method and to obtain the same retention times on multiple systems. This application note describes how to use method translation combined with RTL to implement precise time-scaled versions of a method on multiple instrument types. This allows the original method to be re-used with minimal effort, while optimizing the method for a given sample type or instrument setup. In this way, the utility of the original method is extended greatly, increasing the payback on the investment in its development and optimizing its use for specific analyses. In this note, the Agilent RTL Pesticide Library method is used as an example. The steps involved in precise time-scaling of the method to different speeds, detectors, and columns are presented. Precise Time-Scaling of Gas Chromatographic Methods Using Method Translation and Retention Time Locking