Question

A laboratory is going to be using GC for a routine analysis with hundreds of samples to analyze. They have developed two methods. One method is an isothermal method that requires 15 min to complete with an additional 1 min between analyses for syringe washes. A temperature programmed method also exists that elutes the compounds in only 12 min. This method, however, requires 6 min between analyses for the oven and column to cool down and to come to equilibrium at the initial temperature (during which time syringe washes could be performed).

a. First, ignoring the time between analyses, how many samples could be analyzed by both methods in 1 week, assuming constant operation?

b. Now, taking the time between analyses into consideration, recalculate the number of analyses that can be performed with the two different methods.  

c. In practice, which method should the laboratory adopt in order to maximize sample throughput?

d. If the laboratory receives $150 per analysis, how much money would they lose each week by adopting the slower method?

Answer 1