{"id":103721,"date":"2026-09-16T20:26:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T20:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/?p=103721"},"modified":"2026-10-09T13:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:11:52","slug":"hydrogen-playbook-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/articles\/gnot5824\/hydrogen-playbook-register","title":{"rendered":"How to Switch from Helium to Hydrogen Carrier Gas"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-lg, 4rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, calc(60% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-lg, 4rem) * 1 )\/2)))minmax(0, calc(40% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-lg, 4rem) * 1 )\/2)));}.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 2fr) minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id103721_9f2386-91 alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-left-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_b39a4b-cd\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13\"]{font-size:40px;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13\"] .kb-adv-text-inner{background-image:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--global-palette2) 0%,var(--global-palette1) 100%);background-clip:text;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-background-clip:text;-webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;-webkit-text-fill-color:initial !important;-webkit-background-clip:initial !important;background-clip:initial !important;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style><h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_9ab93b-13\"><span class=\"kb-adv-text-inner\"><strong>The Hydrogen Playbook:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_837712-57\"]{font-size:34px;font-weight:600;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_837712-57\"] .kb-adv-text-inner{background-image:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--global-palette2) 0%,var(--global-palette1) 100%);background-clip:text;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-background-clip:text;-webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_837712-57\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;-webkit-text-fill-color:initial !important;-webkit-background-clip:initial !important;background-clip:initial !important;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_837712-57\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style><h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading103721_837712-57 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_837712-57\"><span class=\"kb-adv-text-inner\">A Practical Guide for GC Labs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The current helium shortage has created major pain points for GC labs that aren\u2019t going away anytime soon. Hydrogen is the leading alternative to helium as a GC carrier gas because it runs most separations faster at equivalent resolution, can be generated safely on-site instead of needing to be purchased, and works with most common detectors. This guide is about how to switch to hydrogen carrier gas, so you save money, speed up sample analysis, and reduce your dependency on the volatile helium market.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:1px;row-gap:1px;padding-top:1px;padding-right:1px;padding-bottom:1px;padding-left:1px;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap > div:not(.added-for-specificity){grid-column:initial;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12{border-top-left-radius:11px;border-top-right-radius:11px;border-bottom-right-radius:11px;border-bottom-left-radius:11px;overflow:clip;isolation:isolate;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{border-top-left-radius:11px;border-top-right-radius:11px;border-bottom-right-radius:11px;border-bottom-left-radius:11px;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap > div:not(.added-for-specificity){grid-column:initial;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap > div:not(.added-for-specificity){grid-column:initial;}.kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id103721_f744a7-12 alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-3-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:5px;padding-bottom:5px;}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_e71cd8-a4\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color has-link-color has-theme-palette-1-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;font-size:34px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">5<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-4-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\"><strong>global helium shortages since the early 2000s, three in the last eight years [1].<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:5px;padding-bottom:5px;}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_f9f0dd-ea\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color has-link-color has-theme-palette-1-color wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;font-size:34px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">2x<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-4-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\"><strong>or even higher price increases experienced by some markets [2].<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:5px;padding-bottom:5px;}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_752f98-40{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_752f98-40 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_752f98-40\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color has-link-color has-theme-palette-1-color wp-elements-5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;font-size:34px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">45%<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-theme-palette-4-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\"><strong>of normal volume, that\u2019s how far suppliers have cut some allocations [3].<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:64px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:25px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:25px;padding-left:30px;}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-right:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-bottom:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-left:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-image:linear-gradient(90deg,rgba(163,207,250,0.2) 0%,rgb(255,255,255) 98%);}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_81946b-53{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-right:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-bottom:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-left:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_81946b-53 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-right:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-bottom:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);border-left:0px solid rgba(163,207,250,0.3);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_81946b-53\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76\"]{padding-left:0px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:30px;font-weight:600;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76\"] .kb-adv-text-inner{background-image:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--global-palette2) 0%,var(--global-palette1) 100%);background-clip:text;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-background-clip:text;-webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;-webkit-text-fill-color:initial !important;-webkit-background-clip:initial !important;background-clip:initial !important;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style><h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_5994e4-76\"><span class=\"kb-adv-text-inner\">What&#8217;s Inside?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A real-world plan for moving your methods off helium where you can and cutting consumption where you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol style=\"margin-bottom:5px\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>Why is hydrogen the best alternative?<\/strong><br>Generating your own carrier gas, engineering safety in, and the throughput case for switching.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>Is hydrogen right for you?<\/strong><br>A three-part compatibility check across your methods, your detectors, and your facility.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>Ready to convert?<\/strong><br>Here\u2019s how. Assessing methods, choosing a generator, and translating conditions with free <em>EZ<\/em>GC software.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:0px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\"><strong>Not ready for hydrogen yet?<\/strong><br>What to do right now to cut helium use for methods that have to stay on it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67\"]{padding-left:0px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:18px;font-weight:600;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67\"] .kb-adv-text-inner{background-image:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--global-palette2) 0%,var(--global-palette1) 100%);background-clip:text;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-background-clip:text;-webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;-webkit-text-fill-color:initial !important;-webkit-background-clip:initial !important;background-clip:initial !important;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style><h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_58caa9-67\"><span class=\"kb-adv-text-inner\">Complete the form to the right to gain instant access!<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:59px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d\"]{margin-bottom:10px;font-size:30px;font-weight:600;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d\"] .kb-adv-text-inner{background-image:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--global-palette2) 0%,var(--global-palette1) 100%);background-clip:text;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-background-clip:text;-webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;-webkit-text-fill-color:initial !important;-webkit-background-clip:initial !important;background-clip:initial !important;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style><h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103721_be021d-6d\"><span class=\"kb-adv-text-inner\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h3>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1789666126875\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \">Can you use hydrogen as a carrier gas with GC\u2013MS?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes, with some caveats. Most modern MS systems can run hydrogen if the pumping system can handle the higher flow, although ion trap instruments generally cannot. Expect to check for sensitivity loss and spectral shifts on some compounds and to requalify library matches as well as retention times. Always check with your instrument manufacturer for any required or recommended changes (e.g., specialized sources) before switching a method to hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1789666178431\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is hydrogen carrier gas safe in a lab?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Hydrogen is a flammable gas, so it requires engineered controls: hydrogen sensors with alarms, adequate ventilation, stainless steel rather than copper tubing, and a flashback arrestor on the line. Most labs use an on-site generator instead of cylinders, which keeps the stored volume small enough that a leak can&#8217;t easily reach the explosive limit. Generators also include important safety features, such as leak sensors and automatic shutoff capabilities that can prevent gas buildup by turning the generator off.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1789666204949\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \">How much faster is hydrogen than helium?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Hydrogen&#8217;s optimal linear velocity is higher than helium&#8217;s, and its van Deemter curve stays flat across a much wider velocity range, so you can run analyses faster without losing resolution. Documented conversions have cut run times by 30\u201350%; one detailed hydrocarbon analysis went from 146 minutes to 71. Actual gains depend on your column and whether you are running an isothermal or temperature-programmed method.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1789666325874\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \">Do I need a new column to switch to hydrogen?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Not always. Many GC methods convert on the existing column by recalculating the flow and the oven program. However, for GC-MS work, methods on larger bore columns (e.g., 0.25 mm ID or greater) will need to be converted to smaller bore columns (e.g., 0.18 or 0.15 mm ID) to manage the vacuum-outlet pressure drop and to maintain sensitivity. You can explore different column dimensions and even stationary phases without setting foot in the lab using Restek\u2019s free <a href=\"https:\/\/ez.restek.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>EZ<\/em>GC method translation and chromatogram modeling software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Peak Scientific, Helium shortage 5.0. April 21, 2026, https:\/\/www.peakscientific.com\/discover\/news\/helium-shortage-50\/ (accessed September 25, 2026).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ChemAnalyst, Helium price trend and forecast in top 10 leading countries worldwide. June 2026, https:\/\/www.chemanalyst.com\/Pricing-data\/bulk-helium-1100 (accessed September 25, 2026).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>T. Taylor, Not another helium crisis!, LCGC Int. June 9, 2022, https:\/\/www.chromatographyonline.com\/view\/-not-another-helium-crisis- (accessed September 25, 2026).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_4f5cdd-f5\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kadence-column103721_fd4979-c5 > 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.kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103721_fd4979-c5{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103721_fd4979-c5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-right:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-bottom:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-left:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103721_fd4979-c5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-right:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-bottom:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);border-left:1px solid var(--global-palette7, #EDF2F7);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103721_fd4979-c5\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image103721_9ae225-b8 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}.kb-image103721_9ae225-b8 img.kb-img, .kb-image103721_9ae225-b8 .kb-img img{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image103721_9ae225-b8\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"658\" height=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/header-gntg5793-v2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-103875\" title=\"-\" srcset=\"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/header-gntg5793-v2.jpg 658w, https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/header-gntg5793-v2-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"watch\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-theme-palette-1-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7\">Download the Free Playbook!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Complete this form to gain instant access.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"restek-jotform\" data-jotform-id=\"262594929321970\" data-jotform-height=\"2300\" data-jotform-title=\"The Hydrogen Playbook\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Free guide for GC labs: how to convert methods from helium to hydrogen carrier gas, select a hydrogen generator, and cut helium use if you can&#8217;t switch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":"{\"authors\":[440],\"author_categories\":{\"440\":\"1\"},\"fallback_author_user\":\"1\",\"ppma_author_box_select\":\"\",\"selected_authors\":[{\"id\":440,\"display_name\":\"Whitney Dudek-Salisbury\",\"is_guest\":0,\"category_id\":\"1\"}]}"},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"industries-application":[],"post-badge":[],"resource-type":[],"product-library":[],"resource-technique":[],"ppma_author":[440],"class_list":["post-103721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":7,"label":"Articles"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Whitney Dudek-Salisbury","author_link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/author\/whitney-dudek-salisbury\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":7,"name":"Articles","slug":"articles","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":7,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":510,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":7,"category_count":510,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Articles","category_nicename":"articles","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"authors":[{"term_id":440,"user_id":20,"is_guest":0,"slug":"whitney-dudek-salisbury","display_name":"Whitney Dudek-Salisbury","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/people-dudek-whitney.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/people-dudek-whitney.jpg"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Whitney","last_name":"Dudek-Salisbury","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":"Whitney is a Senior Product Manager for gas chromatography (GC) columns at Restek, where she oversees the company\u2019s GC column portfolio, including fused Silica, MXT, PLOT, and packed columns. Whitney has over seven years of experience in process engineering, with a deep technical expertise in the development of manufacturing processes for GC columns and accessories. Since transitioning to product management, Whitney has focused on the energy and chemical market, becoming a member of ASTM D02 and D16 subcommittees. Whitney holds both a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in chemistry from Bucknell University."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103721"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105211,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103721\/revisions\/105211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"industries-application","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industries-application?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"post-badge","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-badge?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"product-library","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-library?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"resource-technique","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-technique?post=103721"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=103721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}