Rtx-BAC

Rtx-BAC column

Restek Rtx-BAC GC Columns

Restek Rtx-BAC GC columns are specifically engineered for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testing and forensic toxicology workflows requiring fast, accurate, and legally defensible ethanol and volatile analysis. Featuring a proprietary Crossbond stationary phase optimized for light alcohols, acetone, acetaldehyde, and other volatile compounds found in biological matrices, Rtx-BAC delivers rapid, high-resolution separations with outstanding reproducibility.

These columns are widely used for law enforcement, forensic laboratories, clinical testing facilities, and workplace or compliance monitoring programs. Rtx-BAC provides excellent resolution of critical pairs such as acetone/ethanol and methanol/acetone—separations essential for correct identification and quantitation in forensic BAC determinations. The optimized polarity profile ensures precise retention behavior even under high-throughput conditions.

Rtx-BAC columns are engineered for rugged performance with strong thermal stability, low bleed, and Restek’s superior deactivation technology that minimizes adsorption of polar and reactive volatiles. This ensures sharp peak shapes, accurate quantitation at trace levels, and reliable performance in both GC-FID and GC-MS workflows. Their exceptional lot-to-lot reproducibility also supports validated and regulated forensic protocols.

As an authorized Restek distributor, Chrom Tech supplies Rtx-BAC columns in commonly used forensic dimensions, supporting labs that require dependable, high-quality GC performance for alcohol and volatile analysis in biological samples.

Key Definitions
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Testing
The quantitative measurement of ethanol and other volatiles in blood or biological samples, typically performed in forensic and clinical settings. Rtx-BAC columns are optimized for these workflows.
Crossbond Stationary Phase
A proprietary Restek bonded phase that ensures excellent stability, selectivity, and reproducibility for the separation of small alcohols, acetone, and other volatile compounds.
Critical Pair Resolution
Rtx-BAC columns are tuned to separate small, closely eluting volatiles—especially ethanol, methanol, acetone, and other key forensic analytes.
Forensic Method Defensibility
The level of analytical reliability and reproducibility required for results to hold up in legal or regulatory environments—supported by the column's consistent performance.
Inertness for Polar Volatiles
Restek’s deactivation eliminates reactive sites that cause peak tailing or loss of polar analytes, ensuring accurate quantitation of small alcohols and ketones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Rtx-BAC ideal for forensic blood alcohol analysis?
The column provides rapid, high-resolution separation of key alcohols and ketones with exceptional reproducibility, supporting legally defensible BAC determinations.
Can Rtx-BAC columns be used with headspace sampling?
Yes. Headspace sampling is commonly paired with Rtx-BAC for volatile analysis in clinical and forensic toxicology.
What analytes are typically targeted with Rtx-BAC?
Ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, and other common volatiles found in biological matrices.
Are Rtx-BAC columns suitable for GC-MS?
Yes. Their low bleed and strong inertness make them fully compatible with GC-MS for trace-level volatile analysis.