When selecting a nitrogen generator for your laboratory, especially if you're involved in chromatography mass spectrometry (CMS), choosing the right equipment is crucial. The tool above is designed to simplify this process by recommending the best nitrogen generator based on your specific needs. But what exactly do these factors—flow rate, output pressure, and purity—mean, and why are they so important?

Flow Rate: Keeping Up with Your Sample Demand

Flow rate refers to the volume of nitrogen gas that the generator can produce over a certain period, typically measured in liters per minute (L/min). In the context of CMS, where nitrogen is often used to create an inert atmosphere or to aid in sample evaporation, the flow rate determines how quickly and efficiently you can prepare multiple samples simultaneously.

Sample Preparation: In processes like nitrogen blowdown evaporation, a higher flow rate allows you to process larger batches of samples in a shorter amount of time. This is especially beneficial in high-throughput labs where time is of the essence.

Analysis: During CMS analysis, the flow rate must be sufficient to maintain a stable and consistent environment within the mass spectrometer. An inadequate flow rate could lead to variations in the data, affecting the accuracy and reproducibility of your results.

Choosing a nitrogen generator with the appropriate flow rate ensures that your lab can handle its workload efficiently without compromising the quality of your analyses.

Output Pressure: Ensuring Optimal Performance

Output pressure is the force at which nitrogen gas is delivered from the generator, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). In sample preparation and CMS, the correct pressure is vital for the optimal performance of your equipment.

Sample Preparation: When evaporating solvents or drying samples, the output pressure must be high enough to effectively carry out these tasks without causing splashing or other issues that could contaminate your samples.

Analysis: In CMS, a stable and precise output pressure ensures that the nitrogen gas is delivered at a consistent rate, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your analysis. Fluctuations in pressure can lead to disruptions in the ionization process, affecting the quality of the mass spectrometry data.

Selecting a generator with the right output pressure ensures that your laboratory processes are carried out smoothly and that your analytical results are reliable.

Purity: Protecting Your Samples and Data

Purity refers to the level of contaminants, such as oxygen, water, and hydrocarbons, present in the nitrogen gas. For CMS, where sample integrity and data accuracy are paramount, using nitrogen with the highest possible purity is critical.

Sample Preparation: Contaminants in nitrogen gas can interact with your samples, leading to degradation or unwanted reactions. This is particularly important when working with sensitive or volatile compounds, where even trace impurities can affect the outcome of your sample preparation.

→ Learn more: Preventing Sample Contamination in an Evaporation System

Analysis: In CMS, the presence of impurities in nitrogen can lead to background noise, reducing the sensitivity and accuracy of your measurements. High-purity nitrogen minimizes these issues, ensuring that your data is clean and your results are dependable.

Using a nitrogen generator that produces gas with the required purity level helps protect your samples from contamination and ensures that your analyses yield accurate, reproducible results.

Choosing the right nitrogen generator for your lab is essential to the success of your chromatography – mass spectrometry applications. By considering the flow rate, output pressure, and purity of the nitrogen gas, you can ensure that your sample preparation and analysis processes are efficient, reliable, and produce high-quality results. Use Organomation’s Nitrogen Generator Product Finder tool above to quickly identify the best generator to meet your specific needs, and take the guesswork out of this important decision.