| Abstract: | Two methods have been developed for the determination of trace levels of acetonitrile and propionitrile in light naphthas. One involves clean-up and preconcentration by medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) in which nitriles are concentrated ten-fold while the complex hydrocarbon matris is removed. The concentrated solution is then analyzed by high resolution GC with flame ionization detection. The second method involves direct injection of samples into a capillary GC equipped with chemiluminescence nitrogen detection. The results and repeatability obtained from both methods are comparable. Preconcentration enables identification by GC-MS and simultaneous analysis of other polar species, with no need for selective detectors. Direct analysis is, on the other hand, much less time-consuming and requires less sample. |
