Tadeusz Górecki

From adapting passive gas sampling in polluted soils to speeding up extractions of chemicals from contaminated rock, Tadeusz Górecki has made a career of analyzing some of nature’s most complex samples. He is best known though for his patented improvements to two-dimensional chromatography, a much more sensitive, two-step version of gas chromatography that allows researchers to fully resolve analyte peaks in messy environmental and biological samples.

Recent developments include the development of several new modulators for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC), studies on the fundamental aspects of GC×GC, development of efficient, green methods for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), a passive sampling method that allows sampler calibration to be carried out based on the physico-chemical properties of the analytes, and extraction methods for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in low-permeability matrices that dramatically reduce the extraction time.

• Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC)
• High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• Passive sampling
• Enhanced extraction techniques
• Indoor air quality analysis
• Environmental analysis
• Pyrolysis GC\/MS
• Devices and Analytical Methods

• 2009, Professor of Chemical Sciences, degree conferred by the President of the Republic of Poland
• 1986, PhD, Chemistry, Technical University of Gdansk, Poland
• 1981, MSc, Engineering, Technical University of Gdansk, Poland

• 2017, GCxGC Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2016, Andrzej Waksmundzki Medal from the Polish Academy of Sciences
• 2013, Best poster award, 37th International Symposium on Chromatography and 10th GCxGC Symposium, Palm Springs, California, USA
• 2012, Best poster award, 36th International Symposium on Chromatography and 9th GCxGC Symposium, Riva del Garda, Italy
• 2011, Outstanding Performance Award, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
• 2009, Professor of Chemical Sciences, degree conferred by the President of the Republic of Poland
• 2007, Best poster award, Dalian International Symposia and Exhibition on Chromatography, Dalian, China
• 1993, Three-month fellowship of the European Community, Ecole Nationale Superiéure de Chimie, Toulouse, France
• 1982-1993, Seven Awards of the President of the Technical University of Gdansk for outstanding research
• 1986, Award of the Minister of Education of Poland for outstanding PhD Thesis
• 1981, Medal of the Technical University of Gdansk

• 2021-present, Departmental Awards Committee
• 2021-present, Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee
• 2013-present, University Appointments Review Committee
• 2006-2020, Science Faculty Council
• 2016-2018, Merit Committee
• 2014-2018, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
• 2006-2016, Administrative Committee
• 2006-2016, Associate Dean for Cooperative Education
• 2006-2016, Cooperative Education Council
• 2006-2016, Science Undergraduate Studies Committee
• 2011-2012, Senate
• 2008-2009, Executive Committee

• Regional Editor, Current Chromatography
• Editorial Board Member, Separations (MDPI)
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Chromatography Open (Elsevier)

• Member, The Water Institute

• CHEM 404 - Physicochemical Aspects of Natural Waters
  • Taught in 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• H-Y.J. Chow, T. Górecki, "Second dimension temperature programming system for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with true temperature control", Journal of Chromatography Open (2022), 2, 100062.
• A. Aly, T. Górecki, "Green comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC) for the analysis of phenolic compounds in grape juices and wine"; doi:10.1007/s00216-022-04241-x.
• M.A. Knight, M. Ioannidis, F. Salim, T. Górecki, D. Pivin, "Health risks assessment from Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) lining fugitive styrene emissions in laterals", Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice (2022), 14(1).
• A. Aly, T. Górecki, M.A. Omar, "Green approaches to comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC)", Journal of Chromatography Open (2022) 100046.
• H.A. Boswell, M. Edwards, T. Górecki, "Comparison of Thermal and Flow-Based Modulation in Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography—Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) for the Analysis of Base Oils", Separations, 7(4) (2020), 70.
• A. Aly, M. Mueller, A. de Villiers, B.W.J. Pirok, T. Górecki, "Parallel gradients in comprehensive multidimensional liquid chromatography enhance utilization of the separation space and the degree of orthogonality when the separation mechanisms are correlated", Journal of Chromatography A, 1628 (2020) 461452.
• H. Boswell, K. Tarazona Carrillo, T. Górecki "Evaluation of the Performance of Cryogen-Free Thermal Modulation-Based Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) for the Qualitative Analysis of a Complex Bitumen Sample", Separations, 7 (2020), 13.
• A. Aly, T. Górecki, "Green Approaches to Sample Preparation Based on Extraction Techniques", Molecules 25 (2020), 1719; doi:10.3390/molecules25071719.
• Aly, A.A. and Górecki, T. "Green Chromatography and Related Techniques," Płotka-Wasylka, Justyna, and Jacek Namieśnik, eds. Green Analytical Chemistry: Past, Present and Perspectives. Springer, 2019.
• Salim, Faten, Marios Ioannidis, Alexander Penlidis, and Tadeusz Górecki. "Modelling permeation passive sampling: intra-particle resistance to mass transfer and comprehensive sensitivity analysis." Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts 21, no. 3 (2019): 469-484.

• T. Górecki, M. Edwards, “Material comprising thermally modified polymeric organosilicon, method for preparing said material and the uses thereof”, Patent Application filed June 3, 2016.
• T.A. McAlary, H. Groenevelt, S. Seethapathy, T. Górecki, “Low-uptake Waterloo Membrane Sampler for quantitative passive soil vapor concentration measurement”, US Patent no. 9399912, issued July 26, 2016.
• T. Górecki, J. Poerschmann, “System for in-column pyrolysis”, German Patent DE 101 11 854.6, granted October 18, 2001.