Tandem evolved gas - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry

A system for enabling tandem pyrolysis/evolved gas—gas chromatography—mass spectroscopy (Py/EG-GC-MS) in conjunction with an oven having an inlet coupled with a micro-furnace and an outlet coupled with a mass spectrometer, the system comprising:

• an evolved gas analysis (EGA) tube disposed inside the oven and having an input end and an output end;
• a gas chromatography (GC) column disposed inside the oven and having an input end and an output end;
• an internal cold trap disposed inside the oven adjacent to the input end off the GC column;
• first, second, third, and fourth transfer lines;
• an external cold trap disposed outside of the oven and in fluid communication with the internal cold trap through the first transfer line;
• an upstream splitter disposed inside the oven and having an input connected to the oven inlet via the second transfer line, a first output port connected to the external cold trap through the third transfer line, and a second output port connected to the input end of the EGA tube;
• a downstream splitter disposed inside the oven and having a first input port connected to the output end of the GC column, a second input port connected to the output end of the EGA tube, and an output port connected to the oven outlet via the fourth transfer line;
• and
• a control module configured to:
• cause the external cold trap to retain a first portion of a sample to prevent it from reaching the internal cold trap while the system performs, over a first time interval, a EGA on a remaining, second portion of the sample that is guided through the EGA tube;
• cause the external cold trap to release the first portion of the sample to allow it to reach the internal cold trap over a second time interval succeeding the first time interval, and cause the internal cold trap to retain the first portion of the sample to prevent it from reaching the GC column;
• and
• cause the internal cold trap to release the first portion of the sample to allow the system to perform, over a third time interval succeeding the second time interval, a CG analysis on the first portion that is guided through the GC column.