Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for enhanced analysis of naphthas: new column combination involving permethylated cyclodextrin in the second dimension.

A new column association using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for the detailed molecular analysis of hydrocarbon mixtures is reported in this paper. In order to compare the impact of two different secondary columns, a novel column combination relying on a GC x 2GC system was used. This system is based on a non-polar first column (PONA) combined with both a permethylated beta-cyclodextrin (beta-Dex 120) stationary phase and a polysilphenylensiloxane (BPX 50) in the second dimension. Compared to BPX 50 stationary phase, the implementation of beta-cyclodextrin columns as the second dimension was found to improve the resolution between paraffins and naphthenes in the naphtha range but not in the middle distillate range. Attempts to improve the results and to understand the interaction mechanism remained unsuccessful. Therefore, the benefits of the beta-Dex 120-column are only demonstrated on heavy naphtha cut for the quantitation of hydrocarbons.

Comparison of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with sulfur-chemiluminescence detector to standard methods for speciation of sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates.

The monitoring of total sulfur content and speciation of individual sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates is required for efficient catalyst selection and for a better understanding of the kinetics of the reactions involved in hydrotreament processes. Owing to higher resolution power and enhanced sensitivity, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) hyphenated to sulfur chemiluminescence detection (SCD) has recently evolved as a powerful tool for improving characterization and identification of sulfur compounds. The aim of this paper is to compare quantitatively GCxGC-SCD and various other methods commonly employed in the petroleum industry, such as X-ray fluorescence, conventional GC-SCD, and high-resolution mass spectrometry, for total sulfur content determination and speciation analysis. Different samples of middle distillates have been analyzed to demonstrate the high potential and important advantages of GCxGC-SCD for innovative and quantitative analysis of sulfur-containing compounds. More accurate and detailed results for benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes are presented, showing that GCxGC-SCD should become, in the future, an essential tool for sulfur speciation analysis.

Characterisation of biodegradation capacities of environmental microflorae for diesel oil by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

In contaminated soils, efficiency of natural attenuation or engineered bioremediation largely depends on biodegradation capacities of the local microflorae. In the present study, the biodegradation capacities of various microflorae towards diesel oil were determined in laboratory conditions. Microflorae were collected from 9 contaminated and 10 uncontaminated soil samples and were compared to urban wastewater activated sludge. The recalcitrance of hydrocarbons in tests was characterised using both gas chromatography (GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC). The microflorae from contaminated soils were found to exhibit higher degradation capacities than those from uncontaminated soil and activated sludge. In cultures inoculated by contaminated-soil microflorae, 80% of diesel oil on an average was consumed over 4-week incubation compared to only 64% in uncontaminated soil and 60% in activated sludge cultures. As shown by GC, n-alkanes of diesel oil were totally utilised by each microflora but differentiated degradation extents were observed for cyclic and branched hydrocarbons. The enhanced degradation capacities of impacted-soil microflorae resulted probably from an adaptation to the hydrocarbon contaminants but a similar adaptation was noted in uncontaminated soils when conifer trees might have released natural hydrocarbons. GCxGC showed that a contaminated-soil microflora removed all aromatics and all branched alkanes containing less than C(15). The most recalcitrant compounds were the branched and cyclic alkanes with 15-23 atoms of carbon.

Multidimensional gas chromatography for the detailed PIONA analysis of heavy naphtha: hyphenation of an olefin trap to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

A multidimensional method providing the composition of a heavy naphtha in paraffins, isoparaffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics (PIONA) in the C8-C14 range is presented. The analytical set-up consists in a silver modified silica olefin trap on-line coupled to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC). In this configuration, hydrocarbons are separated, in gaseous state, in two fractions, saturate and unsaturate, each fraction being subsequently analysed by GC or by GC x GC. The resolution between saturates and olefins was found to be improved compared to a single GC x GC run. The characterisation of the olefin trap highlights the benefits and the limits related to the use of that stationary phase as a double bond selective fractionation medium.

Characterisation of middle-distillates by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC): A powerful alternative for performing various standard analysis of middle-distillates.

The detailed characterisation of middle distillates is essential for a better understanding of reactions involved in refining process. Owing to higher resolution power and enhanced sensitivity, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) is a powerful tool for improving characterisation of petroleum samples. The aim of this paper is to compare GC x GC and various ASTM methods -- gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) -- for group type separation and detailed hydrocarbon analysis. Best features of GC x GC are demonstrated and compared to these techniques in terms of cost, time consumption and accuracy. In particular, a new approach of simulated distillation (SimDis-GC x GC) is proposed: compared to the standard method ASTM D2887 it gives unequal information for better understanding of conversion process.

Evaluation of a retention model in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

Modeling the retention in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) was achieved using retention indices obtained in conventional GC. Predicted results were compared with experimental data obtained in the two-dimensional separation of a synthetic hydrocarbon mixture. This proved to be helpful in optimizing the operating conditions of GC x GC separation of a complex petroleum sample and in identifying chemical families.

Comparison of conventional gas chromatography and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for the detailed analysis of petrochemical samples.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) has been investigated for the characterization of high valuable petrochemical samples from dehydrogenation of n-paraffins, Fischer-Tropsch and oligomerization processes. GC x GC separations, performed using a dual-jets CO2 modulator, were optimized using a test mixture representative of the hydrocarbons found in petrochemicals. For complex samples, a comparison of GC x GC qualitative and quantitative results with conventional gas chromatography (1D-GC) has demonstrated an improved resolution power of major importance for the processes: the group type separation has permitted the detection of aromatic compounds in the products from dehydrogenation of n-paraffins and from oligomerization, and the separation of alcohols from other hydrocarbons in Fischer-Tropsch products.