Markes presents poster at Gulf Coast Conference

Use of GC×GC/TOF-MS in the Analysis of Petroleum Hydrocarbons: Advantages of Library-Searchable ToF Mass Spectra Combined with High Chromatographic Resolution

Kurt Thaxton, Nicola Watson, Nick Bukowski

The analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been considered routine for many years. However, many of the thousands of hydrocarbons in petroleum are still unresolved by GC/MS. GCxGC/MS using a time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometer can improve this resolution such that thousands more hydrocarbons can be separated but identification of many of these separated compounds requires acquisition of mass spectra with clear molecular and fragment ions over a wide carbon number range (e.g. C10-40 or higher). In the present study we used a Zoex GCxGC modulator coupled to an ALMSCO BenchTOF-dx time-of-flight MS to optimise chromatographic conditions for the separation of a large range of hydrocarbons in petroleum including hopane biomarkers with molecular weights up to 482. The mass range of the mass spectrometer and design of the GCxGC-ToF-MS instrument may allow this range to be extended further, with the promise of opening up new analytical windows in petroleum chemistry.

Poster Presentation - 1:40 PM - Wed (13 Oct) Abstract # 140