With gas chromatography, there are many more choices for detectors when compared to other separation disciplines in analytical chemistry. The presence of sensitive and selective detectors aids in easing the separation requirements imposed on the capillary column. The current gas phase detectors, however, do not completely fulfill contemporary analytical needs. One example is in the area of ultratrace analysis of permanent gases for semiconductor industry. Another example is in the area of environmental/industrial hygiene monitoring for compounds such as 1,3-butadiene or vinyl chloride. The dielectric barrier discharge detector, a new highly sensitive detector with tuneable selectivity, has recently been innovated and commercialized. In this paper, the principle of operation of the detector, along with critical challenging industrial applications such as the analysis of oxygenated compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, and other compounds of industrial significance is presented.