JP3176327U - Smell sniffer-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer - Google Patents

Abstract

A database of known “odor” components is prepared in advance, and when a chromatogram peak of a sample component is identified as data in the database, information on the “odor” component is received before the “odor” reaches the measurer. Notify This reduces the burden on the measurer who maintains concentration over a long period of time, and reduces the burden on the measurer's health and olfactory paralysis caused by smelling toxic compounds and rotten odors. An analytical device is provided.
A database 113 in which compound names, mass spectra, retention indices, odor quality and threshold values are registered by analyzing known odor components in advance, and mass spectrometry results of chromatogram peaks of the sample are components in the database. When it is identified, a notification function for notifying the measurer of information on the component is provided.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention is a scent-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (hereinafter referred to as a scent-sniff-GC-MS device) that can separate components of a sample with high accuracy and simultaneously analyze the chemical structure and “odor” of each component. About.

  In recent years, various products have been developed in the field of food and daily necessities, and research on qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis for "odor" has been attracting attention. In environmental analysis, demand for off-flavor / bad odor analysis is increasing.

  Conventionally, the identification and evaluation of “smell” has generally been performed using human olfaction. However, since it is necessary to assume that the olfactory sensation varies depending on individual differences in the person (panel) who actually smells the odor and the physical condition of the day, more than a certain number of panels are required to obtain objective results accurately. Ensure sufficient consideration for the environment of the test site. Therefore, the labor and time are enormous. Even with such considerations, it is difficult to always make definitive judgments based on a certain standard because human olfaction has the characteristic of adapting to “odor”.

  On the other hand, a component analysis method using a gas chromatograph (GC), a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS), or the like is known as an instrumental analysis related to “odor”. However, in these component analysis methods, “odor” is regarded as a volatile chemical substance, so it is effective for the purpose of identifying the causative substance, but it is difficult to correlate with the sensory value by human olfaction. There are problems such as.

  In order to compensate for the shortcomings of the component analysis method, there is known a smell sniffing-GC-MS device in which a device for sniffing (sniffing port) is attached to a GC-MS device.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a conventional smell sniffing-GC-MS apparatus.
That is, the separation column 203 is installed inside the column oven 202 of the GC 210 that is controlled to rise in temperature at a predetermined speed, and the analysis sample is introduced from the sample injection / vaporization chamber 201 toward the separation column 203. The introduced sample is separated and developed in the time direction for each component by a combined action such as the temperature gradient of the temperature rise in the column oven 202, the flow rate of the mobile phase gas, and the type and size of the liquid phase of the separation column. Is done. The components separated and developed in the time direction are introduced into the MS device 206 (for example, a quadrupole mass spectrometer) via the splitter 205, and the mass-to-charge ratio and intensity of molecular ions and their fragment ions are accurately measured. Then, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the components is performed.

  A part of the components separated and developed in the time direction by the separation column 203 is also sent to the sniffing port 209 via the transfer line 208. In the smell sniffing port 209, when the “odor” is detected, the measurer operates the level switch to express the intensity and type of the “odor”.

  An auxiliary gas such as helium gas is supplied from the makeup gas generator 204 to the splitter 205 as an auxiliary means for efficiently sending the “odor” component from the splitter 205 to the MS device 206 and the smell sniffing port 209.

  Through the above operations, the smell smell-GC-MS measurement combining GC-MS and human olfaction is used to identify the “odor” component and the “odor” intensity and the qualitative / quantitative information of the component. Can be obtained at the same time.

  In addition, since the “odor” analysis depends on the olfactory sense of the measurer, it is necessary to slowly separate and develop the sample with the GC, and the measurement time is as long as 30 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, the measurer needs to concentrate attention on the olfactory sense, and long-time tension is required. In order to alleviate this burden, Patent Document 1 introduces an invention that notifies that a component appears at the timing when a component peak begins to appear.

JP 2008-170333 A

It is not uncommon for the “scent” analysis to take a long time. In addition, a sample having an irritating odor such as a rotting odor has a problem that the sense of smell is paralyzed and the “odor” component having a low “smell” detection threshold is sniffed. Furthermore, the measurement sample contains harmful compounds, and there is a risk of causing health damage to the measurer.
An object of the present invention is to provide an odor sniffing-GC-MS device that can reduce the burden on a measurer who must maintain concentration over a long period of time and can reduce health damage in view of the above-described points.

  The smell sniffing-GC-MS apparatus according to the present invention includes a chromatographic means for separating and developing components in a sample having odor in a time direction, and taking out a part of the components separated and developed by the chromatographic means, Mass analysis means for sequentially performing mass spectrometry, a transfer line provided with a flow path resistor for delaying the time to reach the smell port with the remainder of the odor component, and a known odor component are analyzed in advance and separated by the chromatographic means・ In the smell sniffer-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer equipped with the mass spectrometry result of the chromatogram peak of the developed component and the database storing the odor information, the chromatogram peak of the component separated and developed by the chromatographic means If the mass spectrometry result is identified as a component in the database, Constituted by the notification mechanism to notify have information to the subject.

  The odor component is sent to the MS apparatus, and arrives at the smell sniffing port with a time delay by a transfer line having flow path resistance, so that the measurer can predict what kind of odor will occur before smelling the smell.

  The notification mechanism is a character or symbol display mechanism, or a sound or sound acoustic mechanism.

  Prepare a database of known “odor” components in advance. If the chromatogram peak of a sample component is identified as data in the database, the “odor” component information is notified to the measurer before the “odor” arrives. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden on the measurer who maintains concentration over a long period of time, and to reduce problems such as damage to the measurer's health and olfactory paralysis caused by smelling toxic compounds and rotten odors.

It is a figure which shows the Example of the smell sniffing-GC-MS apparatus by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the conventional smell sniffing-GC-MS apparatus.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The basic configuration of the sniff-GC-MS device of the present invention is shown in FIG.
In the sniffer-GC-MS apparatus of the present invention, a known “odor” component is analyzed in advance, and the “compound name”, “mass spectrum”, and the retention time of the compound are indexed by a reference substance (n-alkane). Database 113 in which “retention index”, “scent of banana”, “quality of odor” such as rotten “odor”, and “threshold” of minimum concentration or minimum chromatogram peak value for detecting “odor” are registered. Is built in a memory in a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 107.

The separation column 103 is installed inside the column oven 102 of the GC 111 controlled to increase the temperature at a predetermined speed, and an analysis sample is introduced from the sample injection / vaporization chamber 101 toward the separation column 103. The introduced sample is separated and developed in the time direction for each component.
The components separated and expanded in the time direction are supplied from a makeup gas generator 104 to an auxiliary gas such as helium gas to a splitter 105 and introduced into an MS device 106 (for example, a quadrupole mass spectrometer). Is sent to the transfer line 108.

The component sent to the MS device 106 is subjected to MS analysis, and when the component is identified as the component in the database 113 registered in the PC 107, the component information is displayed on the monitor 112 of the PC 107.
Since the “odor” component in the transfer line 108 reaches the smell port 110 via the channel resistor 109 that extends the channel or narrows the channel diameter or delays the passage of the component using both means, the component After the information is displayed on the monitor, the measurer smells the “smell”.

  In other words, when an operator smells a “smell”, it recognizes whether it is a “smell” registered in the database, and if so, what its component information is, and sniffs the “smell” Therefore, measurement errors due to olfactory paralysis due to irritating odor components registered in the database and health damage due to toxic components can be avoided.

  As a modification of the first embodiment, the monitor display of the PC is not limited to the character display, but a symbol display, a PC beep sound, a synthesized sound, or a synthesized voice can also be used.

  As a modification of the first embodiment, it is possible to separately provide a PC monitor that displays the same content as the PC 107 in the field of view of the measurer near the smell sniffing port.

101 Sample Injection / Vaporization Chamber 102 Column Oven 103 Separation Column 104 Makeup Gas Generator 105 Splitter 106 MS Device 107 Personal Computer (PC)
108 Transfer line 109 Flow path resistor 110 Smell port 111 GC
112 Monitor 113 Database 201 Sample injection / vaporization chamber 202 Column oven 203 Separation column 204 Makeup gas generator 205 Splitter 206 MS device 208 Transfer line 209 Smell port 210 GC

Claims (2)

Chromatographic means for separating and developing components in a sample having odor in the time direction;
A mass analyzing means for taking out a part of the separated and expanded components and sequentially performing mass analysis;
A transfer line with a flow path resistor that delays the time for the remainder of the component to reach the smell port;
In the sniffer-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer equipped with
A database in which mass analysis results and odor information of chromatogram peaks of components separated and developed by the chromatographic means after analyzing known odor components in advance is registered,
When a mass spectrometry result of a chromatogram peak of a component separated and developed by the chromatographic means is identified as a component in the database, a notification mechanism is provided for notifying a measurer of information on the component. Smell sniffer-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer.   2. The smell sniffing-chromatographic mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the notification mechanism is a display mechanism using characters or symbols, or an acoustic mechanism using sound or voice.

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