Distribution of weight,density, and molecular weight in crude oil derived from computerized capillary GC analysis

Chromatographic separation of crude oil components has been performed on a 50 m Chrompack Sil 5 fused silica capillary column, temperature programmed from 10 to 300°C. Approximately 70 peaks eluting before n-nonane (n-C₉) and all normal paraffins to n-C₁₉ were identified by a retention time table. Peak areas were converted to weight % using 1-heptene as internal standard and relative response factors. Components were divided into boiling range groups from n-C₆ to n-C₁₉. Paraffinic, naphthenic, and aromatic distributions were obtained for the boiling point fractions up to n-C₉. Group average densities and molecular weights were calculated from pure component properties up to n-C₉. Knowing the density and molecular weight as functions of boiling range group to n-C₉, these functions can be extrapolated to n-C₁₉, based on data and correlations from more than 20 distillations of paraffinic North Sea oils adn condensates. The densities and molecular weights of the C₁₀+ and the C₂₀+ residues were calculated to satisfy a balance of weight, volume, and number of moles for the whole sample. Measurements on the residues were used to cross-evaluate the GC method against distillation. The difference in weight was estimated to be less than ± 0.5% in absolute terms for the C₁₀+ residue. The corresponding figure for C₂₀+ was ± 2%. Relatively, calculated densities are within ± 1%, molecular weights within ± 2% compared to direct measurements. Calculations were performed by a BASIC program in a GC interfaced computer.     

Capillary GC analysis of diesel fuels using simultaneous parallel triple detection

Diesel fuels from different parts of the UK have been analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nitrogen-containing PAH, and sulfur-containing PAH using capillary column GC with simultaneous parallel triple detection. The concentrations of polyaromatic compounds (PAC) were high and showed considerable variability amongst the fuels. The PAH are mainly naphthalene, fluorene, and phenanthrene and their alkylated homologs; the PANH are mainly carbazole and its methyl derivatives; the PASH are mainly dibenzothiophene and its methyl derivatives.     

Analysis of toxic anthraquinones and related compounds with a fused silica capillary column

In this study, application of a fused silica capillary column for analysis of toxic anthraquinones and related compounds found in plants was investigated.     

Some aspects of quantification of neutral steroid metabolites in body fluids of healthy and uremic subjects by capillary gas chromatography

Neutral steroid metabolites enriched from urine and hemofiltrate were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and quantified by capillary gas chromatography. This study included 20 healthy controls and 37 uremic patients. Before enrichment of steroids from biological material, the standard deviation of the workup procedure and subsequent derivatization into the trimethylsilyl-enol-trimethylsilyl ethers was tested and found to be 2–5% in urine and 12–17% in the more complicated workup procedure of hemofiltrate, but essentially smaller than the biological standard deviation. Compared to the 24 h urinary excretion rates of controls, the excretion rates of androsterone, etiocholanolone, and corticoid metabolites were significantly lower in uremic body fluids, while those of 11-oxygenated androstanolones, degradation products of corticoids, were enhanced in uremic urine. The ratio of corticoid metabolites to 11-oxygenated androstanolones in urine of nondialyzed uremics correlated significantly with their plasma creatinine levels.     

Construction and application of a cold on-column injection system for capillary gas chromatography

A cold on-column injection system for capillary gas chromatography (GC) applications was constructed. It was based upon a conventional split/splitless capillary GC inlet, which in turn was a modification of a conventional packed GC column inlet. The heart of the laboratory constructed cold on-column inlet design was a disposable pyrex micro-sampling pipet, which functioned as a needle guide for sample injection. The sample was injected through a traditional GC septum. Construction of the injection system is described and applications are illustrated by separations of a variety of complex mixtures.     

Kovats and lee retention indices determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for organic compounds of environmental interest

Retention indices of standard organic compounds of environmental interest were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, using a DB-5 fused-silica capillary column. Retention indices are useful references for tentative compound identification by gas chromatography, or confirmation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. They provide elution order for isomers that might be indistinguishable based on mass spectra. Modified Kovats and Lee retention indices are given for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; sulfur heterocycles; nitrogen heterocycles; aromatic amines; oxygen heterocycles; phenols; alcohols; ketones; alkanes; nitriles; and methylesters of fatty, dicarboxylic, and aromatic acids for comparison and reference. Retention index values for heterocycles by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry are comparable with gas chromatography values previously reported.     

Analysis of mutagenic amino acid pyrolyzates with a fused silica capillary column

In this study, application of a fused silica capillary column for analysis of major mutagenic heterocyclic compounds found in cooked foods was investigated.     

Deactivation of fused silica capillary columns with phenylhydrosiloxanes

In this work, an investigation of new organosilicon hydride reagents with phenyl functional groups for deactivation and surface modification of fused silica capillary columns is described. Different reagents were tested for their ability to deactivate the fused silica surface, and actual critical surface tension measurements were made using the capillary rise method. The deactivation procedure required lower optimum temperatures than conventional methods. Deactivated capillaries and coated capillary columns were prepared and tested for reproducibility, efficiency, and surface inertness towards basic and acidic compounds at the low nanogram level.     

Some applications of capillary gas chromatography in the chemical industry

About three years ago, fused silica capillary columns were introduced in the Quality Control Laboratory of the Shell refinery/chemical complex at Pernis. In general, long, thick-film, wide-bore capillary columns are used together with low split ratios and hydrogen as carrier gas. These conditions enable the analysis of relatively large sample amounts, resulting in low detection limits for the minor components without overloading by the major components, while still maintaining a satisfactory resolution. A number of applications are shown, such as the analysis of complex mixtures, the determination of trace impurities and the analysis of residual volatiles in polymers.     

Packed columns vs. wall coated open tubular columns in quantitative analyses of polychlorinated biphenyls

This article describes and critically evaluates a complete method for the quantitation of PCB in sediment samples. The extraction and clean-up procedure is described. Packed column and capillary column results are compared. Capillary column quantitation yields lower values for total PCB loading. Preferences for capillary column quantitation are discussed and explained. Capillary quantitation is based on the combination of an external Aroclor standard and an internal decachlorobiphenyl standard for normalizing data. In light of the recent report of synthesis of all 209 PCB congeners a suggestion is made to use these as absolute standards to establish a bank of primary standard Aroclors.     

A CP-MAS NMR study of some deactivation methods in capillary gas chromatography

The effect of temperature, water content, and the type of reagent on the silylation of fused silica capillaries was studied by ²⁹Si and ¹³C CP-MAS NMR. Fumed silica (Cab-O-Sil M5), which is essentially a highly dispersed vitreous quartz with a surface comparable to that of fused silica capillary columns, was selected as a model material. Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and 1,2-diphenyl-1,1,3,3-tetraphenyldisilazane (DPTMDS), which were used as silylation reagents, yielded trimethyl- and dimethylphenylsilyl surface groups respectively at lower temperatures (< 350°C and <250°C respectively). At higher temperatures, increasingly more dimethylsilyl groups are formed, with the silicon bound to two oxygen atoms. This process occurs for DPTMDS at a considerably lower temperature than for HMDS. The formation of silyl groups on the surface and the disappearance of hydroxyl groups are followed independently. The ¹³C NMR and GC-MS of the reaction products showed that with DPTMDS, the formation of two Si-O-Si links is accompanied by a loss of phenyl groups rather than of methyl groups. After the Cab-O-Sil had been dried over P₂O₅, the formation of these double links occurred for HMDS only at temperatures above 460°C and for DPTMDS at 400°C. Thus we concluded that water supplies oxygen atoms for double Si-O-Si links (possibly crosslinks) necessary for efficient deactivation. This may explain the less successful silanization of fused silica capillaries because their water content is lower than that of glass capillaries.     

Sensitive determination of perfluorocarbon tracers in air by intermediate trapping and GC-ECD analysis

This paper reports on the development of a simple method for the determination of two perfluorinated hydrocarbons (C₇F₁₄ and C₈F₁₆) in air down to 0.2 ng/m³, for long range atmospheric tracer experiments. The organic vapors are adsorbed on graphitized carbon black, desorbed thermally and determined by capillary GC-ECD at subambient temperature. Optimization of the experimental conditions is described. The tracers were tested in a field experiment where SF₆ was also released and the agreement was satisfactory.     

A study of some deactivation methods for fused silica capillary columns by CP-MAS NMR and capillary gas chromatography

The effect of deactivating a fused silica surface by silylation with 1,1,3,3-tetraphenyl-1,3-dimethylilazane (TPDMDS), triphenylsilylamine (TPSA), and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and by polydimethylsiloxane degradation (PSD) is studied. Rehydrated, dried, and deactivated Cab-O-Sil M5 samples are used as model materials for ²⁹Si CP-MAS NMR analysis. At about 350 °C, TPDMDS yelds mainly diphenylmethylsiloxysilane, dimethyldisiloxysilane, and triphenylsiloxysilane groups. TPSA yields phenyltrisiloxysilane, diphenyldisiloxysilane, and triphenylsiloxysilane groups. At 400°C, the products formed initially are eventually replaced by methyltrisiloxysilane or phenyltrisiloxysilane groups, while a substantial number of silanol groups still remains. The possible consequences for wettability are discussed. D4 reacts with Cab-O-Sil even at 200°C, but a large number of silanol groups remains. This number decreases gradually at higher temperatures and becomes negligible above 400°C. The formation of methyltrisiloxysilane groups, which starts at 425°C, is predominant at 490°C.     

Identification of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel particulate matter by capillary gas chromatography and capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Summary Using a two-step liquid chromatographic separation on normalphase cartridges, crude extracts of diesel particulate matter can be separated without time-consuming sample handling into special fractions which mainly contain slightly-polar oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (oxy-PAH) and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAH). Subsequent analysis was by fused-silica capillary gas chromatography on a SE54 column along with flame-ionisation (GC/FID) and positive-ion electron-impact mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS) respectively. A number of individual oxy-PAH belonging to four different chemical classes (ketones, quinones, anhydrides and aldehydes) and several individual nitro-PAH were characterized by their retention times and mass spectra. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

On the efficiency of capillary columns coated with medium polarity thick films

The efficiency of FSOT columns coated with thick films of polyphenylmethylsiloxane was theoretically and experimentally compared to thin apolar and medium polar coatings and to thick apolar coatings. Experimental hū and TZū plots clearly demonstrate the enormous loss in chromatographic efficiency of thick films of medium polar siloxane stationary phases. The low diffusion coefficient in the liquid phaese is responsible for this behavior. The influence of the temperature and the nature of the solute on the efficiency was also studied.     

(S)-O-acetyllactyl chloride – a versatile chiral auxiliary in stereodifferentiation of enantiomeric flavor components

The stereodifferentiation of chiral secondary alcohols, 4(5)-alkyl-substituted γ (δ)-lactones via corresponding 1, 4(1, 5)-diols, chiral 1, 3-diols, and 1-thioalkan-3-ols was carried out by diastereomeric derivatization with (S)-O-acetyllactyl chloride as a chiral auxiliary. This procedure is a convenient and reliable method for screening the enantiomeric composition of these naturally occurring flavor volatiles.