GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide [Hardcover]

Marvin McMaster (Author), Christopher McMaster (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471248266 | ISBN-13: 978-0471248262 | Publication Date: June 25, 1998 | Edition: 1

A unique practical guide to building, using, and maintaining a complete GC/MS system.

Though gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is one of the most effective and popular methods of separating, identifying, and quantifying compounds in complex mixtures, there have been no comprehensive handbooks to date that clearly explain the setup and maintenance of a functional GC/MS system. Now Marvin and Christopher McMaster have created the hands-on resource that researchers and students need to get their own systems up and running quickly. Covering everything from necessary components to tuning, troubleshooting, and processing data, it allows even those with little prior knowledge of GC/MS to perform their own analyses and gather the data they require. GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide contains:
* Full coverage of vital equipment, including the function, costs, and advantages of both desktop and floor-standing systems
* A walkthrough of a basic GC/MS analysis and an examination of key methods of structural data interpretation
* Extensive information on GC/MS system optimization
* An exploration of the various research and environmental uses of GC/MS systems
* An extended section on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to enhance comprehension of the gas method.

For organic, analytical, clinical, environmental, and forensic chemists in all types of laboratories-and for students in all of these specialties -this book will be an invaluable companion for years to come.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is a highly popular analytical system used by organic chemists and analytical chemists in research and in professional analytical labs, including environmental labs. It is used to separate, identify, and quantify individual compounds and substances. Chromatography was used to identify the ingredients of the World Trade Center bomb and was one the main reasons for the quick arrest of the suspects. This book provides information on using, maintaining, and troubleshooting analytical instrument systems in operations laboratories. It contains practical tips based on actual experience, and only enough theory to show the operational variables and how to control them. Readers will gain an understanding of the components in their systems and get them up and running more rapidly.

From the Back Cover

A unique practical guide to building, using, and maintaining a complete GC/MS system.

Though gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is one of the most effective and popular methods of separating, identifying, and quantifying compounds in complex mixtures, there have been no comprehensive handbooks to date that clearly explain the setup and maintenance of a functional GC/MS system. Now Marvin and Christopher McMaster have created the hands-on resource that researchers and students need to get their own systems up and running quickly. Covering everything from necessary components to tuning, troubleshooting, and processing data, it allows even those with little prior knowledge of GC/MS to perform their own analyses and gather the data they require. GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide contains:
* Full coverage of vital equipment, including the function, costs, and advantages of both desktop and floor-standing systems
* A walkthrough of a basic GC/MS analysis and an examination of key methods of structural data interpretation
* Extensive information on GC/MS system optimization
* An exploration of the various research and environmental uses of GC/MS systems
* An extended section on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to enhance comprehension of the gas method.

For organic, analytical, clinical, environmental, and forensic chemists in all types of laboratories-and for students in all of these specialties -this book will be an invaluable companion for years to come.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-VCH; 1 edition (June 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471248266
• ISBN-13: 978-0471248262
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,253,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Chemistry > Chromatography

More About the Author

Dr. Marvin McMaster is a full-time writer, adjunct professor of Chemistry at the U. Missouri-St. Louis teaching seminars and short extension course on laboratory instruments, selling, and computers, and teaches Bible study at his local Methodist church.

He currently works as a consultant from the St.Louis area, teaches at St. Andrew UMC in Florissant, MIssouri, and is extending his writing into World War II biography, religious fiction and non-fiction. and science fiction/fantasy after having accidentally encountered the royal wishing pig, Aloysius.

His latest published work "Buying and Selling Laboratory Instruments" is dual purposed. It provides a guide to the purchasing process by a knowledgeable sales specialist unconnected to manufacturers. It also represents the first systematic guide to the selling profession by a successful Win-Win salesman who has made a career out of making customer's successful with their instruments.

TANSTAAFL applies to selling as well as to life. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch!" A salesman who fails to make his customers successful with his products is going to starve to death because he never gets any repeat business. Judge Ziglar was right when he said, "Timid Salesmen Have Skinny Kids." So do salesman who do not support and make their customer successful.

Dr. McMaster has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the U. Nebraska-Lincoln, laboratory experience as a synthetic and process chemist with DuPont, Kraft Foods, Ciba-Geigy and biochemical/medical postdoctoral experience at Florida State U., U. Colorado Med. School, and U. Michigan. For 25 years he sold laboratory instruments and computer interfaces as a technical sales representative for Waters Associates, LDC, Beckman Instruments, Pharmacia/LKB, and Teknivent. He has also worked as a networking and support technician for MacIntosh computer at Washington U. Medical School in St. Louis.

He began teaching 2-day in-field HPLC courses for Beckman and added evening extensions courses at UMSL and wrote his first book "HPLC: A Practical User's Guide" when he was unable to find a useable textbook. Laboratory computers. GC/MS and LC/MS courses and books were added as this expertise emerged from his selling career.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction to GC-MS, January 1, 2002

By 

R. Bowblis (Keene, NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide (Hardcover)

GC/MS should be helpful to the novice or student who has never used GC-MS before and who has had minimal experience with GC. It is a little disappointing that about 20% of the text covers material about GC that any experienced GC user should already know.
The book contains an easy to understand explanation about how a mass spectrometer works. Some additional details or diagrams could have clarified the description of how the DC/RF field separates the mass fragments in the quadrupole analyzer; but otherwise the text is crystal clear. Information about tuning and maintaining the mass spectrometer is well presented and the authors provide some helpful suggestions including a way to tell during the tuning process that the source needs cleaning. More information about spectral interpretation would have been appreciated but is probably outside the scope of the book.
This book belongs on the library shelves of colleges with undergraduate chemistry programs and would be helpful in industrial and environmental laboratories as an introduction for chemists and technicians new to the field.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Out of date and incorrect - avoid, December 4, 2008

By 

K. D. D'silva (Manchester, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide (Hardcover)

For a book that has been through a number of revisions over several years one would expect accuracy, credibility and efficacy. Sadly this book fails on every count. It starts by listing the masses of simple molecules incorrectly (O2 = 34) and continues with poorly drawn diagrams and overly wordy explanation. I can find little up to date in this 'new' release, it really is just a poor rehash of dated material.

As an experienced mass spectrometrist I hoped this book word serve as a nice introduction to the field of GC/MS for new staff. Sadly it was received by new colleagues as dated and with little credibility.

Save yourself $60 and try Wikipedia instead.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic list of tips for a GC/MS user, February 12, 2000

By 

Eduardo Trindade (Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GC/MS: A Practical User's Guide (Hardcover)

The book may be considered difficult for a starting user. I have been working with GC/MS for 10 years and the coments and all explanations inside are really and absolutely useful. Unfortunately I had not such a book when I was starting to deal with this technique.