Application
This selectivity can be a problem or an advantage. For example, a FID is excellent for detecting methane in nitrogen, since it would respond to the methane but not to the nitrogen.
FIDs are best for detecting hydrocarbons and other easily flammable components. They are very sensitive to these components, and response tends to be linear across a wide range of concentrations.
However, an FID destroys most, if not all, of the components it is detecting. Contrarily, with a TCD the components can continue on to another detector after passing through the TCD; thus it is considered a non-destructive detector (this can be useful for analyzing complex mixtures where different detectors are needed because of differing detector selectivities). However, with an FID, most components are destroyed and no further detection is possible.
For this reason, in multiple-detector situations, the FID is almost always the last detector. An FID essentially can only detect components which can be burned. Other components may be ionized by simply passing through the FID's flame, but they tend not to create enough signal to rise above the noise of the detector.
FIDs can also be integrated into portable measurement devices and used, for example, for Landfill gas monitoring and fugitive emissions monitoring.
Read more about this topic: Flame Ionization Detector
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