Accelerating the Analysis of Petroleum Hydrocarbons by Method 8015 with the Application of Novel GC Oven Technology

Significance of the Topic

The analysis of diesel range organics (DRO) in environmental samples is critical for monitoring petroleum contamination in soil and water.
EPA Method 8015 is widely used under regulations such as the UST program and state-specific protocols for total recoverable and volatile/extractable petroleum hydrocarbons.
Improving the speed and robustness of DRO analysis enhances laboratory throughput, reduces costs, and supports rapid decision-making in environmental assessment.

Study Objectives and Overview

This study evaluates the integration of novel GC oven technology, a shortened GC column, and high oven heating and cooling rates into a modified EPA Method 8015 protocol.
The goal is to demonstrate significant reductions in analysis time and increased sample throughput for petroleum hydrocarbon testing.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Gas Chromatograph: PerkinElmer Clarus® 680 with dual-wall oven and unidirectional airflow for rapid thermal cycling.
• Column: PerkinElmer Elite-1, 15 m × 0.25 mm × 0.10 μm.
• Injector: Programmable split/split-less; 330 °C injector temperature; 2 mm id glass liner with glass wool; 10 mL/min split flow.
• Detector: Flame Ionization Detector at 350 °C; 45 mL/min H₂; 450 mL/min air.
• Carrier Gas: Helium at 1.8 mL/min.
• Oven Program: Start at 40 °C (0.75 min); 65 °C at 30 °C/min; 75 °C at 140 °C/min; 115 °C at 105 °C/min; 180 °C at 85 °C/min; 300 °C at 55 °C/min (2.02 min hold).

Main Results and Discussion

The optimized method achieved an injection-to-injection cycle time of under 12 minutes, yielding ~5 runs per hour—over twice the throughput of a comparison GC (22 minutes per cycle).
Near ambient initial oven temperatures improved resolution of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons while maintaining rapid elution of heavier fractions.
Hydrocarbon fingerprinting using Waters Empower 3 software facilitated accurate integration of C10–C28 compounds and clear differentiation of fuel types.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Up to two-fold increase in sample throughput reduces backlog and operational costs.
• Use of standard column dimensions eases method adoption and downtime for re-validation.
• Enhanced resolution and rapid thermal cycling support routine DRO monitoring across regulatory frameworks.
• Compatibility with existing data systems streamlines workflow and hydrocarbon fingerprint analysis.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances in oven design, column materials, and automation may further decrease analysis times and improve resolution.
Integration of real-time data analytics and portable GC systems could enable on-site environmental monitoring and faster decision support.

Conclusion

By combining novel oven technology with optimized method parameters for EPA Method 8015, laboratories can achieve significant gains in speed and throughput without compromising analytical performance.
This approach supports rapid, cost-effective environmental hydrocarbon analysis and decision-making.