GC/MS TGA Tandem

What is a TGA ?   Tandem Gas Analyzer?  Thermogravimetric analyzer?   These are not in Agilent's portfolio....

searching Agilent.com for "thermogravimetric analysis" yields these that talk about GC/MS:

application-microplastics-determination-by-ted-gc-msd-5994-2551en-agilent.pdf  "Separating the TGA from the GC/MSD minimizes or eliminates contamination and overloading of the GC/MS from the relatively large amounts of natural organic matter or MPs that are decomposed during TGA, which is a concern with traditional Py-GC/MS."

Markes Residual Volatiles and Material Emissions.pdf (agilent.com)

I’ve never encountered TGA coupled with a GCMS but a quick google search shows several manufacturers that do this.

I have more experience with pyrolyzers that do EGA, TD and pyrolysis connected to GCMS. It’s super easy as there is no sample prep involved other than measuring a volume of liquid or weighing a solid sample. Drop it in the furnace and you’re done.

I have almost the same system as shown in the picture for over a year now. The application was supplied by Da Vinci Laboratory Solutions in the Netherlands. It is a Mettler TGA 2, with a Gerstel MPS autosampler on a Agilent GCMS(MS) with a CIS injector. The pyrolysis products coming from the TGA are adsorbed on either a PDMS twister or a Tenax-Thermal Desorption tube and then analyzed using a thermal desorption unit on the GCMS(MS).

Main difference between this system and a pyrolyzer directly on top of a GCMS inlet is sample size. The TGA crucibles on my system have a maximum volume of 900µl. One of the samples I analyze are filters sample from air and these big crucibles can fit several 10mm punches.

Contact me if you have specific questions.

Alex