1,Know your GC
Since most problems of GC analysis are not due to column itself instead the improper instrument or instrumentation, it is never over emphasized to know about your GC and its history prior usage.
Below is a list of our recommended checklist for your GC:
·GC condition: new or used
Recent change of the GC location
·GC idling duration
·Recent maintenance of the GC system and gas line change
·Abnormal GC column degradation
·Previous GC column performance record/logbook
·Carrier gas quality
If the results from the above testing behaved abnormally, giving signs of shortened lifetime, high bleed, ghost peak, peaking tailing, no signal or too high baseline signal…. The GC most likely has leaking problem, dirty inlet, gas flow or blockage of detector jet.

2, Have a good GC ready
If your GC displays one or more of the above mentioned symptoms, you can fix the problems by following the manufacturer’s recommendations or refer below for some common fixes:
 ·Use high purity gases including the column carrier gas and make up gas
·Setup proper gas flows for both the inlet and the detector
·Change seals (o-rings, inlet seals, ferrules, etc.), septum and the inlet liner
·Change the jet
·Condition the GC inlet and the detector at high temperature for hours 

3. Know your GC column
- A new column or a used column
- Column shelf time in lab
- Any column breakage
- A test chromatogram from the column manufacturer
- A previous analysis chromatogram of the column to be used

1. Carefully uncoil the column one half coils on both ends
2. Loosely hang the column inside the GC oven
3. Use known good and correct ferrules and column nuts
4. Install the column nuts and ferrules to each end of the column
5. Cut each column end neatly for 3 -5cm with a good column cutter. Do not hands break the column end tip
6. Thoroughly examine the cuts. Re-cut the column ends, if the cuts are not neat
7.A ttach the column end to the inlet. llow instrument manual on column end tip length to install the column , such as 2-3cm for split/split inlet, 1-2mm gap length from the end of the FID jet, etc. Make sure the column end not touch metal wall more than 3 times, as multiple touching may damage the column tip that affect
sample introduction into the column
8. Finger-tighten the column nut with another hand holding the column end position for proper insert length, then use proper size wrench to tighten the nut completely. Do not over tighten the nut, as it may smash the column. Make sure the column tip insert length is in the range of the GC manufacturer’s recommendation or specification

9. Stepwise setup the column pressure to establish the column flow or set up the proper column flow
10. Repeat the above steps to connect the detector
11. Securely hang the column inside the GC oven. Do not over uncoil the GC column at each end as it may become broken after thermal cycling. Coil the extra loosed column back to the column cage for securing
12. Adjust the column flow to the manufacturer’s specification. A general flow setting would be:

13. Check for any leak sign with Snoop technique or other proper leak detection technique
14. Set properly the inlet and the detector temperatures
15. Set the oven temperature around 50-100℃
16. Turn on the detector after both the temperature and the flows have been established
17. Check for the stabilized signal level. If the signal is too low or too high, it may indicate a leaking column connection or a broken column at connection ends. Redo the column installation as needed
18. Condition a column at a temperature which is 10-20 ℃ lower than the column’s upper temperature limit for minimum 30 minutes. Overnight condition is preferred.
19. Check for the detector signal. If it is too high, there may be a leaking problem, a dirty inlet/detector, or a bad column. Find leaking place and redo column installation, or clean the inlet/detector, or change another column
20. Adjust the column flow to analysis condition if necessary

Good column installation will help obtaining good and successful analysis results.

Condition or bake a column at isothermal temperature close to the column upper temperature limit with two times of the column working carrier flow for 2-24 hours. Avoid using programmable temperature profile to condition a column. This regeneration can be effective for sample contamination. But sometimes conditioning can result in accelerated degradation if oxygen is presented in carrier stream. Column surface may become active for many polar compounds after conditioning.

• Use high grad (HPLC or GC grade) solvent compatible to stationary phase, such as non-aqueous solvent for wax columns, hexane/toluene for polysiloxane columns.
• A column should only be rinsed with 2-3 column volume solvent at low pressure.
• Gas purge dry a column for 30minutes to one hour
• Properly condition the column at its upper temperature limit for 2-10hours.

Note: Avoid rapidly pressure change, since it often causes the column breakage.