Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Aerosol Propellants At present considerable controversy surrounds the use of f l u o r m b o n s as ingredients for propellants. Thus, the analysis of commercial products for their propellant content is of interest and potential instructional value. We wish t o report one very simple procedure for qualitative analysis by gas chromatography. This method was devised several years ago, and some details are included in an instructional manual published by the Gow-Mac Instrument Company (100 Kings Road, Madison, N.J. 07940) in 1973 under the title "Elementary Theory of Gas Chromatography." We analyzed 19different commercial products ranging from hair spray t o whipping cream to paint. A total of 12 components were detected including: four fluorocarbons, n-butane, i-butane, propane, and nitrous oxide. The latter is notseparated from air which is oresent in all ssmoles due to the ssmoline.. method used. Most oroducts contain three to five components, and the entire snalvtis takes ahout It1 mmuter. Only the most rudimentary insrrument is required; we used a tiuw-Mac mudel It10 with a thermal rr,nduc.tiwty detector and amhienr coltrmn temperature 125-35W. The column was 1 i t ,in. od containing 2ll'ud~n
