Problems encountered when integrating peaks obtained in gas chromatography. Application to the determination of hydrogen isotopes

The gas chromatography of hydrogen isotopes, in use for twelve years, is easy to adapt to gloves boxes. The long holding times lead to an analysis duration of around 30 minutes. This is why we have low resolution mass spectrometers. These appliances quickly respond to analytical requirements and enable an isotope processing installation to be controlled in real time. On the occasion of the use of this new analytical method, the effect of the integrators employed in chromatography on the accuracy of the results was noticed. The integrator does not solve all chromatography problems; the chromatograph-integrator must be considered as a whole. In particular what kind of integrator should be chosen in the presence of badly separated and dissymmetrical peaks. This is the question that must be posed and for which this study provides an answer