Low concentrations are no obstacle to detection in gas chromatography analysis

The Barrier Ionisation Discharge (BID) detector, introduced by Shimadzu in the early 2010s. Credit: Butterworth Laboratories/Shimadzu

The use of the barrier ionisation discharge (BID) detector is proving to be an impressive tool for detecting organic and inorganic compounds, permanent gases, and volatile solvents at trace levels.

Gas chromatography (GC) remains an indispensable analytical tool in the pharmaceutical industry, supporting tasks ranging from residual solvent analysis and headspace testing to process gas monitoring and excipient quality control. Yet, with increasing demands for trace-level quantitation, multi-component analysis, and regulatory-compliant testing, traditional GC detectors such as the Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) or Flame Ionisation Detector (FID) often reach their performance limits. The Barrier Ionisation Discharge (BID) detector, introduced by Shimadzu in the early 2010s, is emerging as a powerful solution for these challenges. Leveraging dielectric barrier discharge plasma technology, BID combines universal detection, high sensitivity, and broad linear dynamic range, making it particularly relevant for pharmaceutical GC detection applications.

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