---
title: Boo!  Afraid Of Ghost Peaks?  Inert Coatings Exorcise The Spirit
description: Learn how inert coatings help to prevent ghost peaks in GC analytical sampling and transfer systems
---

[SilcoTek Coating Blog ](https://www.silcotek.com/blog)

# [Boo!  Afraid Of Ghost Peaks?  Inert Coatings Exorcise The Spirit](https://www.silcotek.com/blog/dont-be-afraid-of-ghost-peaks-inert-coatings-stop-contamination)

 Written by [Marty Higgins](https://www.silcotek.com/blog/author/marty-higgins) | October 29 2015

Ghost peaks don't have to be scary!  On this Halloween, focus your energy on watching for the real thing, not ghosts in your [sampling system or GC](https://www.silcotek.com/inert-sampling-solutions).  Seemingly unexplained peaks can be attributed to contamination.  But actually finding the source of the contamination can be a scary thought, especially in a complex [refinery or process plant](https://www.silcotek.com/silcod-technologies/industries-served/oil-gas-coating-applications) sample system.  

Here are some tips to exorcise the ghost in your sampling system:

|  | - Purge and clean sample flowpaths - Check carrier gas for contamination consider filtration - Check for back-flash, change solvent, GC pressures, temperatures, check liner volume - Change GC inlet components, including seals, septa, and liners - Make sample flowpaths inert with SilcoNert® or Dursan® coating |
| --- | --- |

 

Coating liners, tubing, fittings, injection ports, and other sampling components with inert coatings like [SilcoNert® 2000](https://www.silcotek.com/silcod-technologies/silconert-inert-coating) or [Dursan®](https://www.silcotek.com/dursan) will help to prevent adsorption and subsequent ghostly desorption of active and reactive compounds.  

Here's a quick [comparative test](https://www.silcotek.com/hs-fs/file-2421248941-pdf/docs/Shell_QLT-ASA220031102.pdf) to show how stainless steel surfaces can take up sample compounds and then release them over time.  In this example 100 ft of 1/8in tubing was exposed to a 500ppm sulfur stream.  After about 90 minutes of exposure, the analyst flowed pure nitrogen through the line. The graph below shows a release of sulfur onto the detector after several minutes of flow.  The delayed sulfur release could be a source of ghost peaks or cross contamination of samples.  

So on this Halloween, enjoy the candy and costumes, don't fret about the ghost!  

  

 

 

 

[View full post](https://www.silcotek.com/blog/dont-be-afraid-of-ghost-peaks-inert-coatings-stop-contamination)

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