Approved for determining oxygenates in gasoline and other motor fuels by ASTM D5599 and EN 1601
The determination of oxygenates in motor fuels is an important mandate of the reformulated fuels program. To meet this goal, the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved the use of Oxygenate Flame Ionization Detector (O-FID) analysis in preference to other analyses currently used by the fuels industry.
Using an Agilent Technologies 8890 GC with custom Wasson-ECE hardware, this instrument rapidly determines oxygenate components in motor fuels. A single injection is introduced onto a capillary column which separates oxygenate components in boiling point order. A cracking reactor converts hydrocarbons into elemental carbon, and oxygenated compounds into carbon monoxide. A methanizer then further converts the carbon monoxide into methane before eluting to the FID detector.
Because hydrocarbons never make it to the detector, this method completely eliminates problems with hydrocarbon interferences.
ASTM D5599 or EN1601 - Oxygenates in gasoline and other motor fuels by O-FID.
O-FID with D3606 - Oxygenates by O-FID per ASTM D5599 and benzene and toluene in motor fuels by FID per ASTM D3606
O-FID with D4815 - Oxygenates by O-FID per ASTM D5599 and oxygenates by FID per ASTM D4815
O-FID with D4815 and D3606 - Oxygenates by O-FID per ASTM D5599, oxygenates by FID per D4815, and benzene and toluene by FID per ASTM D3606
Wasson: Example chromatogram from O-FID GC system
The Wasson-ECE O-FID has been engineered to provide long life and require infrequent service. When replacement of the cracking reactor or methanizer is necessary, the task can be accomplished in under one hour, including instrument equilibration time.
Repeatibility tests yield relative standard deviations (RSD) of approximately 1% by weight over a series of 10 runs for all major oxygenated components. The O-FID response is linear over four orders of magnitude. An automated injection device is recommended to provide the most reliable means of repeatable injection.
Wasson: GC O-FID Oxygenated Components in Gasoline Analyzer - Repeatibility tests
