» Harold M. McNair
    Professor Emeritus

hmcnair@vt.edu
office: 306 Davidson Hall
phone: 540-231-8210     fax: 540-231-3255
Additional Info: http://www.chemistry.vt.edu/chem-dept/mcnair/Index/HMMIndex.html

Education

1955 B.S. Chemistry (Magna cum Laude), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
1957 M.S. Analytical Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
1959 Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
1960 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow, Eindhoven Technical University, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Research Interests

Microbore and Packed Capillary HPLC Columns. Microbore HPLC columns 1 mm, 1.D. x 50 mm as well as 530/um, packed fused silica columns are evaluated in selected analytical and biological applications. Performance studies focused on column efficiency, effect of flow rate, and minimum detectable quantities obtained with a UV detector. Since very low flow rates can be used (10 ml/min.), the sensitivity of a concentration-dependent type detector can be increased. Effect of sample volumes, samples concentration, and detector dead volumes are evaluated and conclusions made as to applicability of these new columns. These columns show increased sensitivity, decreased solvent consumption, and simplified interface capabilities for LC/LC, LC/MS, and LC/FITR.

Fast GC. Using small i.d. columns (50 um), short lenghts (1 m) and fast flow rates, most GC analyses can be done 5 to 10 times faster.

GC/MS. Trace and ultratrace analysis of organic chemicals in soil, water and food products.

Selected Publications

1. Book - "Gas Chromatography" in "Analytical Methods for Good Laboratory Practice" J. Wiley, NYC, 2000.
2. Book "Basic Gas Chromatography," J. Wiley, New York, 1997.
   
3. G.L. Reed, H. McNair, "Fast Gas Chromatography: The Effect of Fast Temperature Programming", J. Microcolumn Separations, 2000, 12 (6) 351-355.
   
4. Y. V. Kazakevich, H. M. McNair "Low Excess Energy Interactions in HPLC", J. of Chromatography, 872, (2000) 49-59.
   
5. Y.V. Kazakevich, R. LoBrutto, M. Markelov, H.M. McNair, "Discontinuous Head Space Desorption Method for Characterization of Adsorbents", Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 104 (2000) 554-563.