Do You Really Need Helium as Your Carrier Gas?

Unpredictable helium supply can be problematic for chromatographers. With ongoing helium shortages, some labs are being rationed to 50% of their normal supply. Chrom Tech can help you find an alternative solution to avoid the price fluctuations and delivery interruptions of using helium as your GC carrier gas.

Do You Really Need Helium as Your Carrier Gas?

Some GC methods, such as regulated methods, SOPs, or high-sensitivity GC/MS methods require the use of helium. In such cases, there are steps you can take to ensure that you’re conserving helium. Other GC methods offer more flexibility in alternative carrier gases such as hydrogen and nitrogen. The diagram below shows some things to consider before switching: 

Converting to an Alternative GC Carrier Gas

Helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen are the three commonly used carrier gases for GC. There are pros and cons to each. Helium is generally the first choice due to its performance and because most methods are created using helium. However, there are frequent shortages causing inconsistent and high costs and interruptions to workflows. Hydrogen is typically the best alternative to helium, as it still provides great chromatographic resolution and speed relative to helium. Nitrogen on the other hand is inexpensive and easy to acquire, but often requires longer run times and isn’t recommended for use with MSD.

If you’re doing GC/MS (as opposed to GC), hydrogen is typically the better helium alternative. However, if you are doing GC, and your current resolution with helium is more than sufficient (and the application is not resolution-critical), nitrogen may be an easy and inexpensive solution. There is method translation software available for transferring methods from helium to other carrier gas alternatives.

The Benefits of Hydrogen or Nitrogen Generators

Once you’ve determined a suitable alternative to helium, one other consideration is purchasing a gas generator in place of gas cylinders. This allows for on-demand production of ultra-pure hydrogen or nitrogen and eliminates the need for changing cylinders or monitoring gas levels. Besides convenience, some of the top benefits of generators over cylinders are:

• Safety – no stored flammable gasses (created on demand), and no need to handle heavy tanks
• Cost savings – over time, the money saved on gas purchases will pay for the generator (time dependent on usage, etc.)
• Small footprint – save valuable space in the lab

Purchasing a hydrogen or nitrogen generator means eliminating the cost of renting a cylinder, the gas within the cylinder, delivery, accessories, safety equipment, installation, and maintenance. More importantly, you will have implemented a reliable solution that will give you peace of mind when performing experiments in the years to come.

Chrom Tech is a one-stop-shop for all your gas chromatography needs. For GC columns, GC vials, GC accessories, and more, visit our website or reach out to our product specialists for more information on how we can partner with your lab to get you the supplies you need.