Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kadhem AlKhateeb, a group of faculty members from the Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, accompanied by postgraduate students, conducted a scientific visit to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. The visit aimed to benefit from the Gas Chromatography (GC) instrument and to become acquainted with its operating mechanism and analytical applications.
The visit aimed to strengthen the practical and research aspects of postgraduate students’ education by introducing them to the scientific principle of gas chromatography and its role in the separation and identification of volatile and semi-volatile compounds, particularly in pharmaceutical and chemical fields.
The visit included a detailed explanation of the main components of the instrument, starting with the carrier gas source, such as helium or nitrogen, and its role in transporting the sample through the system. This was followed by an explanation of the injection chamber, where the sample is vaporized, and then the separation column containing the stationary phase, in which compounds are separated based on differences in their volatility and interactions with the stationary phase.
In the final stage, the function of the detector was explained, which enables the identification of separated substances by comparing their retention times with those of reference standards. This contributes to accurate compound identification and supports postgraduate students’ scientific research.
The visit concluded with an emphasis on the importance of such practical visits in enhancing students’ research and applied skills, and enabling them to make optimal use of modern analytical instruments in their scientific projects.
