Under the patronage of Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, a faculty member from the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy, at the Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, conducted a field visit to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals/Industrial Research and Development Authority/Ibn Al-Bitar Research Center. The purpose of the visit was to expand the knowledge of undergraduate students in their practical graduation projects by providing them with an overview of the gas chromatography (GC) apparatus, using a sample of volatile oils extracted from cardamom.
The visit aimed to enhance the students’ practical skills by exposing them to the operation of the GC apparatus and its role in the precise separation and detection of volatile compounds based on the library data within the instrument.
The visit included a detailed explanation of the apparatus’s main components, starting with the gas cylinder containing helium gas, which transports the sample within the instrument. This was followed by the injection chamber, where the sample is injected and vaporized, and finally, the separation column, which contains the stationary phase. The compounds are separated based on their varying degrees of volatility and their interaction with the stationary phase. Finally, the detector is used to identify the active ingredients by comparing their retention time with that of standard substances. The results of the sample analysis are then generated by a computer connected to the device, producing a GC/MS chromatogram containing all the essential information for identifying the active ingredients, along with the specific detection conditions, including temperature, pressure, and injection method.
The visit concluded with students benefiting from the practical aspect by gaining hands-on knowledge of the operating mechanism of the gas chromatography device and its importance in the analysis and identification of volatile compounds, which contributed to enhancing their practical experience and linking theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
