Characterization of aromatic hydrocarbons in heavy gas oil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

An analytical method for separating and identifying the aromatic hydrocarbons in heavy gas oil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) was established. The two-dimensional distribution by ring number of the aromatic hydrocarbons was obtained. Besides phenanthrene and methyl-phenanthrene, many other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as pyrene and benzo [a] anthracene were identified by using the retention times, standard mass spectra or literature reports. The method was successfully applied to the hydrotreating process of heavy gas oil and the hydrotreated products of phenanthrene, pyrene were identified. This method provided technical support for the characterization of aromatic hydrocarbons in heavy gas oil and the investigation of hydrogenation mechanism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with the conventional method, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the GC x GC-TOF MS method illustrated the obvious advantages for heavy gas oil analysis.