Vacuum In Tube Extraction

GERSTEL V-ITEX

Vacuum In Tube Extraction

Automated vacuum extraction for GC-MS analysis made easy

Form Dialog

GERSTEL V-ITEX is an innovative, fully automated, vacuum-based extraction method developed by Agroscope (Switzerland) for the GC-MS determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).


Using a controlled vacuum, V-ITEX enables gentle extraction and enrichment even from temperature-sensitive and complex matrices – without heating, with virtually no solvent consumption, and with maximum reproducibility.


Enriched analytes are transferred directly and completely to the GC-MS system for the best possible detection limits and accuracy of results.

What types of analysis is V-ITEX suitable for?

  • Temperature-sensitive foods (e.g., fresh produce, dairy products, soy and oat milk)
  • Flavor analysis
  • Nutritional volatolomics and VOC analyses in biological fluids
  • Research in the field of volatolomics (VOCs in food and body fluids)

How V-ITEX works

Many established methods such as SAFE or Likens-Nickerson are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and consume large amounts of solvents. In addition, the headspace techniques used subsequently cannot analyze non-volatile components.



V-ITEX solves these problems through:

  • Gentle microextraction without heating
  • Sustainability thanks to minimal solvent consumption
  • Complete automation for maximum productivity
Vacuum In Tube Extraction

Main functions

  • Gentle VOC extraction
    from thermally sensitive samples without heating
  • Automatic enrichment and water management
    with the GERSTEL MultiPurposeSampler (MPS) in the V-ITEX module
  • Trap desorption
    occurs directly via the GC carrier gas flow


Advantages

  • As simple as a headspace injection, but significantly more powerful
  • Includes GC inlet with GERSTEL ePneumatics
  • Reproducible results – independent of GC or GC-MS
  • Compatible with almost all GC or GC-MS


Highlights

  • Vacuum-controlled pump for maximum repeatability
  • Efficient drying of aqueous samples
  • Parallel incubation of multiple samples with the GERSTEL AGIstir
  • Dynamic Focusing in the CIS 4 without cryogenic cooling
  • Universal integration into common GC and GC-MS, including Agilent MassHunter Acquisition Integration


Patents and certificates

  • Patent title: “Novel Dynamic Headspace Vacuum Transfer ‘in Trap’ Extraction Method and Apparatus for its Performance”
  • Swiss patent PCT/CH2019/000002
  • International patents: EP3921631 and US20220018740

All information for download

Learn more about the application of vacuum extraction in the scientific open-access publications of our partner Agroscope

Vacuum in-tube extraction (V-ITEX): A tutorial review of theoretical principles, operational parameters, and applications.

Analytica Chimica Acta, In Press, 2026, Article 345539.


Tintrop L., Wacker S., Kopiec F., Cretnik S., Fuchsmann P.

This OpenAccess paper is a tutorial review published in Analytica Chimica Acta that provides a comprehensive technical and practical guide to Vacuum In-Tube Extraction (V-ITEX). It systematically bridges theoretical principles—such as vacuum-enhanced mass transfer—with hardware design and software-controlled automation. Beyond theoretical analysis, the work serves as an implementation manual by detailing troubleshooting strategies, evaluating 19 real-world applications across food and medical sciences, and performing a sustainability assessment using standardized greenness metrics.

Read the full article here

Formation of 3-Methylbutanal and 3-Methylbutan-1-ol Recognized as Malty during Fermentation in Swiss Raclette-Type Cheese, Reconstituted Milk, and de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe Broth


Hélène Yi Meng, Miguel Piccand, Pascal Fuchsmann, Sébastien Dubois, Alexandra Baumeyer, Mireille Tena Stern and Ueli von Ah

Read the full article here