Grade guide
GC Grade chemicals
Solvents tested for gas chromatography: high GC purity, low non-volatile residue and minimal peaks that interfere with FID, ECD or MS detection.
What GC grade means
GC grade solvents are purified and tested for use in gas chromatography, where the solvent is injected along with the sample and any volatile impurity appears as a peak. The emphasis is on a clean chromatogram in the retention window of interest and on low non-volatile residue that would otherwise accumulate in the liner and column head. Specialised variants exist for particular detectors and techniques.
Common GC grade variants
- GC or capillary GC grade: high purity by GC, tested for interfering peaks with FID.
- Pesticide residue grade: concentrated before testing and checked with ECD and sometimes NPD or MS, because residue methods evaporate large solvent volumes and concentrate any trace contaminants.
- Headspace grade: high-boiling solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, DMF or DMAc tested for low levels of volatile residual solvents, for ICH Q3C residual solvent analysis.
- GC-MS grade: tested for low background in mass spectrometric detection.
Typical specifications
| Parameter | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Purity (GC) | ≥ 99.8 to 99.9% |
| Non-volatile residue | ≤ 1 to 3 mg/L |
| Water (Karl Fischer) | ≤ 0.02 to 0.05% |
| ECD-active impurities (residue grade) | Individual peaks below a stated pg/µL or ng/L equivalent after concentration |
| Volatile impurities (headspace grade) | Common Class 2 and 3 solvents below stated ppm limits |
Values in the table are typical of the grade. The limits that apply to a given product are those stated on its specification and lot Certificate of Analysis.
Where it is used
GC grade solvents are used as sample diluents, extraction solvents and standard solvents in environmental, food, pharmaceutical and petrochemical laboratories. Pesticide residue grade is standard for multi-residue methods using solvents such as hexane, acetone, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane. Headspace grade is used as the diluent in residual solvent testing of APIs and excipients.
How it differs from neighbouring grades
HPLC grade focuses on UV transparency and particle-free liquids, which matter less in GC. An HPLC-grade solvent can still show extraneous peaks when concentrated for GC. AR grade sets impurity limits but does not demonstrate a clean chromatogram. For trace work where extracts are evaporated tenfold or more, the residue-tested grade is the safer choice, because a peak that is invisible in a direct injection can become significant after concentration.
150 GC Grade products
FAQs
What is pesticide residue grade?
A GC solvent grade tested after concentration, typically with an electron capture detector, to show that it adds no interfering peaks in trace pesticide analysis.
Which solvent is used for headspace residual solvent testing?
High-boiling solvents such as DMSO, DMF, DMAc or water are common diluents. Headspace grade versions are tested for low levels of the volatile solvents being measured.
Does GC grade solvent need to be filtered?
Particles matter less than in HPLC, but solvents should still be clean. The key GC parameters are chromatographic purity and low non-volatile residue.
Other grades
HPLC GradeAR Grade (Analytical Reagent)ACS GradeLR Grade (Laboratory Reagent)Extra Pure GradeMolecular Biology GradeSpectroscopy GradeLC-MS GradeIP Grade (Indian Pharmacopoeia)BP Grade (British Pharmacopoeia)USP Grade (United States Pharmacopeia)Ph. Eur. Grade (European Pharmacopoeia)Food Grade (FCC)Technical GradeElectronic GradeDeuterated & Stable-Isotope-Labelled CompoundsPharmaceutical Secondary Reference Standards
Need a price, a spec or a custom compound?
Send us your list — product names or CAS numbers, grade, quantity and destination. Our team replies with a formal quotation, COA and lead time.