GC/MS Analysis of PCBs in Waste Oil Using the Backflush Capability of the Agilent QuickSwap Accessory Application

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in waste oil are typically analyzed by GC-ECD or GC/MS after solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup. However, not all problematic matrix components are completely removed during cleanup and are injected into the analytical system, thereby contaminating the column and the detector. In this application, a practical example of backflushing is presented using the Agilent QuickSwap accessory installed on a 7890 GC/5975 MSD system. Benefits of using QuickSwap instead of the traditional high-temperature bakeout procedure are demonstrated. Column and detector contamination were significantly reduced and sample throughput increased.