Micro gas chromatography column using ionic liquid modified metal-organic framework as stationary phase for rapid breath analysis of gastric cancer

The micro gas chromatography columns (mu GCs) were prepared for rapid breath analysis of gastric cancer. The synergistic effect of the specific surface area and the action of pore diameter on the separation capacity was investigated. The mu GC-IL/UIO-66 was prepared using [P66614][Cl]/UIO66 as the stationary phase. For comparison, the mu GC-IL and the mu GC-UIO-66 were prepared using [P66614][Cl] and UIO-66 as stationary phase, respectively. [P66614][Cl]/UIO-66 had a high specific surface area with a pore diameter distribution of 0.49 nm. The high specific surface area of [P66614][Cl]/UIO-66 improved the efficiency of adsorption and desorption, while the porous structure with an appropriate pore diameter acted as an efficient molecular sieve, synergistically enhancing separation efficiency. So compared to the mu GC-IL and the mu GC-UIO-66, the HETP of mu GC-IL/UIO-66 was reduced by 68.2% and 22.6%, respectively. In the analysis of volatile biomarkers (acetone, benzene, n-hexane and toluene) for gastric cancer, the resolutions between adjacent peaks were 1.96, 2.13 and 3.67, which met the requirements for quantitative analysis (R > 1.5). The retention times of acetone, benzene, n-hexane and toluene were 0.72 min, 0.96 min, 1.33 min and 1.67 min, which enables rapid analysis. All may suggest that the mu GC-IL/UIO-66 has a promising application in rapid breath analysis of gastric cancer.