At the beginning of the 1960’s, Desty demonstrated the
potential of small diameter columns [1]. Due to the lack of
automated injection systems, a narrow sample band was manually
injected onto the capillary column. Following this primordial
narrow I.D. column experiment, other techniques to increase
sample throughput were developed and introduced. These include
multicapillary columns [2], short capillary columns [3], wide-bore
columns operated under vacuum at the outlet [4], and accelerated
temperature programs [5]. It should be noted, though, that the
narrow I.D. column route is certainly the best option for rapid GC
analysis of medium to highly complex samples [6-7]. The drastic
instrumental requirements (rapid automated injection, high head
pressures and split flows, accelerated oven temperature ramp
rates, and fast detector acquisition rates) are now generally met
by modern GC systems.