Battling Fuel-Washing: Detection of Accutrace S10 in Commercial Diesel Samples

Importance of the topic

Diesel fuel adulteration through dye removal is a major challenge for tax and regulatory authorities.
The introduction of advanced markers like Accutrace S10 enhances detection sensitivity and prevents illegal redistribution of subsidized fuels.

Objectives and study overview

This study aims to demonstrate the rapid detection and quantitation of the fuel marker Accutrace S10 in commercial diesel samples diluted or “washed” to evade regulations.
It evaluates the benchtop GC-TOFMS (Pegasus BT) performance in identifying and quantifying low ppb levels of the marker.

Methodology and instrumentation

The experimental procedure involved spiking commercial diesel with known concentrations of Accutrace S10.
Analysis was performed using a Pegasus BT GC-TOFMS system with full mass range acquisition and deconvolution-based signal extraction.

• Gas chromatograph: Agilent 7890 with 7693 liquid autosampler
• Injection: 1 µL pulsed splitless at 250 °C
• Column: Rxi-5ms, 15 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 µm
• Oven: 50 °C (1.5 min) to 320 °C at 34 °C/min
• Carrier gas: Helium at 1.4 mL/min
• Mass spectrometer: LECO Pegasus BT, source 250 °C, transfer line 250 °C, mass range 35–650 m/z at 10 spectra/s

Main results and discussion

Automated deconvolution reliably identified Accutrace S10 by matching retention time and spectral features against the neat standard.
Target Analyte Find in ChromaTOF enabled selective quantitation on m/z 315.18.
The method achieved a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 10 at 10 ppb, surpassing the HMRC requirement of 25 ppb.
A linear dynamic range from 10 ppb (1% dyed fuel) to 2500 ppb (100% dyed fuel) was established.

Benefits and practical applications

• Fast analysis time under 15 minutes without additional sample cleanup.
• High sensitivity allows detection of minimal fuel marker dilution.
• Robust quantitation supports roadside and laboratory screening.

Future trends and opportunities

Further integration of GC-TOFMS with portable platforms could enable on-site screening.
Development of new markers and chemometric algorithms will improve selectivity in complex matrices.

Conclusion

The Pegasus BT GC-TOFMS provides a rapid, sensitive, and reliable tool for detecting Accutrace S10 in diesel, aiding enforcement against fuel washing and subsidy fraud.