LC/MS or HPLC/MS is the combination of liquid chromatography (LC, or HPLC) with mass spectrometry (MS). Chromatography is used for separation and mass spectrometry for identification and/or quantification of the substances. Usually, further detectors are interposed, such as UV, ELS or conductivity detectors. Mixtures of substances that cannot be analysed successfully with GC/MS can often be analysed more precisely with LC/MS (liquid chromatography). LC has the advantage that temperature-sensitive and/or high-molecular substances do not have to be evaporated, but also the disadvantage that the half-value width of the peaks is significantly larger, which means that the temporal resolution and thus the chromatographic separation of similar substances with comparable retention times is poorer (but here, too, newer developments from around 2003 have led to qualitative leaps).
CHCs (volatile halogenated hydrocarbons) are components of many commercial products and chemical formulations, in solvents and extraction agents. They are a parameter to be determined in soil, air and water analyses. Because of their high volatility, i.e. high vapour pressure, the samples must be stored as cool as possible and should be analysed in the laboratory as soon as possible. The analysis is carried out in a gas chromatograph. It should be noted that CHCs cause damage to the ozone layer and some are also carcinogenic. Vinyl chloride CH2=CHCl, for example, is highly carcinogenic. The most important subgroup of the CHCs are the CFCs.
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