A simple approach to the automated screening of four different columns on a single gas chromatography (GC) instrument is used for rapid chiral GC method development. Configuration of a conventional GC instrument with a second autosampler and several inexpensive Y-splitters enables simultaneous evaluation of two different columns, allowing a total of four different columns to be evaluated in two automated back to back runs. The resulting system affords a simple and effective approach to chiral GC method development that speeds analysis while eliminating the need for slow and tedious manual interchange of columns. An example of developing a rapid isothermal GC method from the screening results obtained by the instrument is also shown.
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