With the static headspace technique, the sample is placed in a gas phase in a sealed vessel. This vessel is thermostated at a constant temperature until an equilibrium is reached between the two phases. Once an equilibrium is reached, an aliquot of the gas phase of the vessel is removed and analyzed by Gas Chromatography GC.

The MultiPurposeSampler MPS has a heated agitator to heat each sample to the same temperature for the same amount of time while accelerating equilibration by means of shaking the sample. This eliminates the need for the transfer line commonly used with separate headspace units. To provide the most inert path for the sample, the gas phase is drawn directly into a heated gas-tight autosampler syringe and then injected into the gas chromatograph inlet GC inlet.