Quantitative compositional analysis of Estonian shale oil using comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography

• Published in: Fuel processing technology 2017-12, Vol.167, p.241-249
• Main Authors: Ristic, Nenad D., Djokic, Marko R., Konist, Alar, Van Geem, Kevin M., Marin, Guy B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromatography; FID/TOF-MS; Flame ionization; Flame ionization detectors; Gas chromatography; GC × GC; Hydrocarbons; Ionization; Ionization counters; Ketones; Natural gas; Oxygen containing compounds; Petrochemicals; Phenols; Polar × non-polar column combination; Pyrolysis; Pyrolysis shale oil; Separation; Shale gas; Shale oil
• ISSN: 0378-3820; 1873-7188
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2017.07.008

An Estonian pyrolysis shale oil has been characterized using comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled to a flame ionization detector (FID) and time of flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). Oxygen containing compounds were abundant and the following classes were identified: benzenediols, hydroxybenzofurans, phenols, ketones, and naphthols. The large peak overlap observed for oxygenates with the hydrocarbon matrix using a non-polar×polar column combination made identification and quantification difficult. A methodology based on the more selective separation using a polar×non-polar and polar×mid-polar column configurations was developed and tested. The obtained bidimensional resolution confirms that the method provides an improved separation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, mid-polar and even highly polar oxygen containing compounds. The use of an internal standard methodology allowed complete quantification of the pyrolysis shale oil both by carbon number and chemical class. •Polar × mid-polar column combination GC × GC improves separation of highly polar oxygen containing compounds•Estonian pyrolysis shale oil contains 39 wt.% of oxygen containing compounds•Carbon number ranges from C3 to C26, C