This review of gas chromatographic air analysis considers approximately 170 research articles published in the literature from 1995 to 1998. The focus is on sample collection, injection, separation and detection techniques, with special emphasis on capillary gas chromatography details. These parameters are summarized in two tables, the first one ordered by the chemical groups of compounds analyzed and the second by stationary phase. The reported techniques are analyzed and evident trends are summarized for the parameters and key words: Capillary Columns, Carrier Gas, Detection, Film Thickness, Injection, Liquid Stationary Phase, Multidimensional GC, Oven Programming, Packed Columns, PLOT Columns and Sampling Techniques. Furthermore, a brief summary of emerging alternative approaches replacing traditional GC methods is given. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.