A theoretical analysis of the effects of the background detector response on the net response to a substance was performed. The effects were investigated experimentally with the use of two stationary phases of different volatilities, employing the flame ionization detector. The change in relative response factors caused by bleeding of the stationary phase and the systematic errors incidental to the use of a volatile stationary phase in quantitative PTGC are demonstrated, ANY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETECTOR, operated under usual conditions in a conventional set-up, produces a certain background response. Despite attempts to compensate for this response, it usually enhances the noise level and should therefore be kept as low as possible. There are some exceptional cases in which the response to the presence of the component eluted (net response) is given by a decrease in the background response [e.g. the electron capture detector ( I ) ] or in which the positive response is proportional to the background response (2, 3) [e.g., the alkali flame ionization detector (4, 5)]. These special cases obviously require a compromise in the setting of the detector sensitivity to attain optimum performance.There is still another problem associated with the background detector response. AS shown below, in spite of various methods of compensating for the background response, it may cause a decrease in the net response. In this