The cleaning issue of the vaporization tube in gas chromatographs
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The vaporization tube is prone to contamination due to the complexity of sample injection, and it is particularly difficult to clean; this is because the tube is so small that even ultrasound cannot be used to assist with the cleaning process. I wonder how others manage to clean them?
Let me say a few words: generally, chromatographs do not have a vaporization tube; instead, they have a sample introduction vaporizer that contains a liner tube. I guess what you mean is this liner. Solvent cleaning, ultrasonic treatment, along with physical scraping can resolve the vast majority of problems.
It depends on whether you are using a capillary column or a packed column. Capillary columns have a glass liner, which makes them easier to handle – they can be removed from the injection port for cleaning； Filling the column is a bit more troublesome; you need to remove the chromatography column first, and only then can the liner and the injection system be taken apart for cleaning. After removing them, you can clean them using ultrasound or solvents
It is best to avoid physical scraping, as it can cause damage and affect the analysis of certain substances; alternatively, silanization can be performed after scraping.
When cleaning the glass liner of a capillary column, we generally start by using absorbent cotton dipped in an appropriate solvent (such as acetone or n-hexane) to wipe the inner surface, being careful not to scratch it； Next is ultrasonic treatment with solvent immersion ； Then, bake it in a muffle furnace at 350-400 degrees for 3-4 hours. The effect seems pretty good~; if possible, performing a silanization treatment would yield even better results.