Rtx-Volatiles

Rtx-Volatiles column

Restek Rtx-Volatiles GC Columns

Restek Rtx-Volatiles GC columns are engineered specifically for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in environmental, industrial, and regulatory compliance workflows. Featuring a finely tuned mid-polarity stationary phase that offers excellent selectivity for light gases, solvents, aromatics, halogenated volatiles, and highly reactive species, Rtx-Volatiles delivers outstanding peak shape and retention performance for trace-level VOC identification and quantitation.

These columns are widely used in U.S. EPA methods including 502.2, 524.2, 624, 8015, 8020, 8021, 8240, and 8260, as well as equivalent global methods for drinking water, wastewater, soil, and air monitoring. Their optimized phase chemistry supports the separation of critical VOC pairs such as dichloromethane/chloroform, toluene/ethylbenzene, and various chlorinated and brominated compounds, ensuring reliable results even in complex environmental matrices.

Restek’s superior deactivation and low-bleed technology enable Rtx-Volatiles to provide the high sensitivity, stable baselines, and clean mass spectra necessary for GC-MS workflows—while maintaining compatibility with GC-FID and GC-ECD. The columns also exhibit exceptional lot-to-lot reproducibility, supporting validated testing and routine QA/QC operations.

Chrom Tech, as an authorized distributor of Restek consumables, supplies Rtx-Volatiles columns in multiple dimensions suitable for regulatory, environmental, and industrial VOC applications where accurate, high-throughput volatile analysis is required.

Key Definitions
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Organic chemicals with high vapor pressures that readily enter the gas phase. Rtx-Volatiles columns are engineered to separate and quantify these compounds at trace levels.
EPA VOC Methods
Regulatory methods used for water, soil, and air analysis of volatile contaminants. Rtx-Volatiles meets or exceeds requirements for methods such as EPA 502.2, 524.2, and 8260.
Mid-Polarity Stationary Phase
A balanced phase that offers selectivity for a wide range of VOCs—from light gases to halogenated solvents—supporting method compliance and robust chromatographic performance.
Critical Pair Resolution
The effective separation of closely eluting VOCs, such as dichloromethane and chloroform, which is essential for accurate identification and quantitation.
Low Bleed Performance
Reduced stationary-phase off-gassing at elevated temperatures, improving MS signal-to-noise and enhancing trace-level detection of VOCs in complex environmental matrices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What applications are Rtx-Volatiles columns designed for?
Rtx-Volatiles is purpose-built for environmental VOC analysis, regulatory compliance testing, industrial solvent monitoring, and GC-MS workflows requiring strong selectivity for volatile contaminants.
Is Rtx-Volatiles suitable for EPA Method 8260?
Yes. Its phase composition and inertness make it a strong fit for EPA 8260 VOC analysis in wastewater, groundwater, and soil extracts.
Can the column be used with GC-MS as well as GC-FID?
Absolutely. Rtx-Volatiles offers low bleed and stable baselines compatible with both detectors, making it suitable for both routine and high-sensitivity workflows.
Does this column resolve challenging VOC pairs?
Yes. Rtx-Volatiles is optimized to separate important critical pairs such as dichloromethane vs. chloroform and benzene vs. toluene, ensuring reliable quantitation.