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Pollock, G. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Pollock, G. E..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Investigation of porous polymer gas chromatographic packings for atmospheric analysis of extraterrestrial bodies

Measurement of the permanent gases in the atmospheres of mission targets is a major objective. A 16 meter long Porapak N column was used on the Venus probe and required a rather high carrier gas flow rate. The researchers have, therefore, surveyed commercial porous polymer types which had some ability to resolve nitrogen, oxygen, argon and carbon monoxide gases. Porapaks N and Q appeared superior to most. Batch to batch variation, however, was quite wide, so the researchers learned how to synthesize porous polymer and investigated some of the factors affecting the separations. A polymer was synthesized which was superior to all commercial products and allowed at least a 50% reduction in length and flow rate of carrier gas. Similar studies were made concerning the separation of hydrocarbons and new porous polymers have been synthesized which represent significant improvements in time of analysis, column, and carrier gas flow rate.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Synthesis of a further improved porous polymer for the separation of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon monoxide by gas chromatography

A further improvement has been made in the synthesis of an N-type porous polymer for the separation of permanent gases. Changing the ratios of reactants and diluting the Hi-DVB with styrene led to a porous polymer gas chromatographic packing which is superior to commercial products and to the author's own previously reported custom-made polymer.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Gas chromatographic separation of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon monoxide using custom-made porous polymers from high purity divinylbenzene

Existing porous polymers were surveyed for their ability to separate the subject gases. Certain products that showed more promise than others were synthesized and the existing synthetic procedures studied and modified to produce new polymers with enhanced ability to separate the subject gases. Evaluation of the porous polymers was carried out practically by gas chromatography at ambient temperature. The modified synthetic procedures were somewhat simpler than the originals. The new porous polymers made with high purity divinylbenzene enabled use of shorter columns to obtain the separations desired.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Improving Hydrocarbon Separation In Gas Chromatography

Modified solica spheres enhance chromatographic separation. Commercially available silica spheres are modified by reacting them with molecules containing isocyante and isothiocyanate groups. Applications of surface derivatized spheres that result from reaction include analysis of samples prouced by atmospheric or soil probes.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A study comparing several isocyanate and isothiocyanate derivatives of Porasil C for the separation of lower hydrocarbons by GC

Several isocyanate and isothiocyanate derivatives of Porasil C were synthesized and evaluated for the separation of the low-molecular-weight saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. It was shown that different functional groups significantly affect the retention behavior of the more polar unsaturated hydrocarbons, and that reproducible results can be obtained if dry carrier gas is used.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The radioracemization of isovaline - Cosmochemical implications

The optically pure D- and L-enantiomers of isovaline, which cannot be racemized by ordinary chemical mechanisms involving alpha-hydrogen removal and which has been isolated in apparently racemic form from the Murchison meteorite, have been subjected to partial radiolysis by the ionizing radiation from a 3000-Ci Co-60 gamma-ray source. Both in the anhydrous and hydrated solid states and as solid sodium or hydrochloride salts each enantiomer suffered significant radioracemization of the undestroyed residue during its partial radiolysis. The sodium salt of isovaline in 0.1-M aqueous solution suffered extensive radiolysis with relatively small radiation doses, but showed no detectable radioracemization. The significance of these observations with respect to the primordial enantiomeric composition of the isovaline (and other amino acids) indigenous to meteorites is discussed.

Bonner, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Porous bead packings for gas chromatography

Porous polyaromatic packing beads have low polarity, high efficiency, short retention time, and may be synthesized in size range of 50 to 150 micrometers (100 to 270 mesh). Mechanically strong beads may be produced using various materials depending on elements and compounds to be identified.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Stereochemistry of amino acids in surface samples of a marine sediment

In two surface samples of marine sediment, the percentages of D-alanine and D-aspartic acid are significantly higher than the other D-amino acids and are similar to the range found in soils. The percentage of D-glutamic acid is also higher than the other amino acids but less than D-alanine and D-aspartic acid. These D-amino acids may come mainly from bacteria.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Synthesis of porous polyaromatic column packings for GC analysis of extraterrestrial atmospheres

The preparation of a polymer for the Pioneer-Venus Large Probe Gas Chromatograph and another polymer for gas-chromatographic analysis of the Jovian atmosphere is described. Technical-grade divinylbenzene is used as a reliable and economical source of monomer for the preparation of polymer beads. The discussion covers monomeric preparation, polymerization apparatus, first-stage polymer beads, second-stage polymer beads, amino-polymer, columns and gas-chromatographic testing instrumentation used. The polymer for the Pioneer-Venus gas chromatograph is also suitable for ammonia but not for amine analysis. However, the polymer for the analysis of the Jovian atmosphere is a chemically derivatized aromatic polymer that is suitable for amine analysis. The two-stage polymerization produces a highly efficient polymer packing clearly superior to others prepared by adjusted dilution of the aqueous-organic suspension system.

Woeller, F. H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Determination of the D and L isomers of some protein amino acids present in soils

The D and L isomers of some protein amino acids present in soils were measured by using a gas chromatographic technique. The results of two processing procedures were compared to determine the better method. Results of the comparison indicated that the determination of D and L percentages requires amino acid purification if one is to obtain accurate data. It was found that very significant amounts of D-alanine, D-aspartic acid, and D-glutamic acid were present in the contemporary soils studied. Valine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, and phenylalanine generally contained only a trace to very small amounts of the D isomer. It is probable that the D-amino acids from the alanine, aspartic, and glutamic acids are contributed to the soil primarily via microorganisms. The finding of very significant quantities of some D-amino acids (about 5-16%) in present-day soils may alert some investigators of geological sediments to a possible problem in using amino acid racemization as an age-dating technique.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Stereoisomers of isovaline in the Murchison meteorite

Isovaline is present in the Murchison meteorite as a racemic mixture (about equal concentrations of the R and S enantiomers). Since isovaline does not have a hydrogen atom on its asymmetric alpha-carbon atom, the racemic mixture could not have formed by commonly accepted mechanisms of racemization. Thus, isovaline in the meteorite most probably was synthesized as a racemic mixture and is not the result of the racemization of either the R or S enantiomer. Other chiral amino acids in the meteorite are present as racemic mixtures, and were probably synthesized in a similar manner by abiotic, extraterrestrial processes.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Gas chromatograph injection system

An injection system for a gas chromatograph is described which uses a small injector chamber (available in various configurations). The sample is placed in the chamber while the chamber is not under pressure and is not heated, and there is no chance of leakage caused by either pressure or heat. It is injected into the apparatus by changing the position of a valve and heating the chamber, and is volatilized and swept by a carrier gas into the analysis apparatus.

Pollock, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Capillary gas chromatography with two new moderately high temperature phases.

Gas chromatography test results are presented for two new moderately high-temperature phases of Dexsil 400-GC with free hydroxyl end groups (uncapped) and with end groups covered by trimethyl silyl groups (capped). The two Dexsil 400-GC phases were tested for their ability to resolve N-TFA-DL-(+)-2-butyl esters and n-butyl esters, as well as fatty acid methyl esters and hydrocarbon standards. Generally the more polar uncapped phase was superior to the capped phase in all separation comparisons, except for the hydrocarbons.

Pollock, G. E.↗