Analysis of Gasoline

Significance of the Topic

Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons whose composition directly affects fuel performance, emissions and compliance with regulatory standards. Reliable analysis of the full boiling range, from light C10 to heavy C40 components, is essential for quality control in petrochemical industries and for environmental monitoring.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note demonstrates the use of a high temperature resistant capillary column for the separation and quantification of gasoline-range hydrocarbons by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The goal is to evaluate column stability, resolution and analytical robustness under an extended temperature program.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The method employs a Shimadzu GC equipped with a flame ionization detector. Key operational parameters are listed below:

• Column: SH-I-5HT, 30 m length, 0.32 mm internal diameter, 0.25 μm film thickness
• Temperature program: hold at 50 °C, ramp at 10 °C per minute to 300 °C, hold 20 minutes
• Injection: 1 μL cold on-column; injector temperature 250 °C
• Carrier gas: hydrogen at 40 cm per second constant linear velocity (50 °C)
• Detector: FID at 330 °C with nitrogen make-up gas at 30 mL/min
• Data acquisition rate: 20 Hz; dead time at 50 °C: 1.25 min

Key Results and Discussion

The high-temperature column achieved baseline separation of gasoline constituents across the C10 to C40 range. Early-eluting light components were resolved with sharp peaks, while heavier fractions eluted uniformly without excessive peak broadening. The column maintained stable performance over repeated temperature cycles, demonstrating minimal bleed and consistent retention times.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The described method offers:

• Robust separation of complex gasoline mixtures in a single run
• Reduced analysis time due to optimized temperature programming
• Improved column lifetime under high-temperature conditions
• Reliable quantification of both light and heavy hydrocarbon fractions for quality control and regulatory compliance

Future Trends and Opportunities

Ongoing developments in stationary phase chemistry may further enhance temperature resistance and selectivity for challenging hydrocarbon matrices. Integration with mass spectrometry could provide structural insights into trace components. Automated sample introduction and data processing will streamline high-throughput fuel analysis workflows.

Conclusion

The high temperature SH-I-5HT GC column coupled with FID provides an effective solution for comprehensive gasoline analysis. Its stability at elevated temperatures and broad hydrocarbon range coverage make it well suited for routine petrochemical quality control and research applications.

Reference

Shimadzu Corporation, ERAS-1000-0469, First Edition September 2023