[Article Summary] Novel Detector Dramatically Simplifies PIONA GC Analysis

Below is a summary of the upcoming article “Novel Detector Dramatically Simplifies PIONA Analysis” appearing in Petro Industry News this October. You can read the article that introduced PIONA+ or continue reading the summary of its update below:

VUV Analytics’ first released application of VUV Analyze, called VUV PIONA+, uses GC-VUV to improve detailed and bulk classification analysis of petroleum-based fuels.  The result is the potential for GC-VUV to significantly reduce the complexity or run times compared to existing ASTM methods for fuel analysis, as well as the potential of combining information obtained using multiple methods.  The VUV PIONA+ method results in a per-measurement information set that would typically require implementation of multiple ASTM methods (e.g. D5769, D5580, D1319, D6550, D3606, D4815, D5599, D5845) while being inherently more robust and production-worthy than the more comprehensive ASTM gasoline methods.

The VUV PIONA+ method uses relatively simple instrumentation: a gas chromatograph, a standard 30m nonpolar column, and a VGA detector.  Bulk concentrations of the hydrocarbon classes of paraffins, isoparaffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics (PIONA) are determined.  Specific analytes can also be singled out for further characterization, for example individual oxygenates or aromatics belonging to the BTEX complex.  The setup procedure is straight-forward, with no pre-column tuning or valve timing adjustments.  Additionally, analyses are faster given that the method can handle co-elution among various species and hydrocarbon classes.

Figure 1: Gas chromatogram of gasoline sample. Inset figure shows zoomed-in retention window with high concentration of PIONA compounds.

Figure 1 shows a gasoline sample chromatogram where the PIONA compounds have primarily eluted between 1.5 and 25 minutes in a 30 meter nonpolar phase capillary GC column method.  Spectral filters of 125 – 160 nm, 140 – 160 nm, and 200 – 240 nm are applied post-data acquisition to enhance analyte sensitivity in the region of interest.  The inset figure shows a zoomed-in retention window of the early portion of the chromatogram.  Very few of the peaks displayed have achieved baseline resolution, yet all of the corresponding compound classes can be distinctly identified and quantitated.  Furthermore, the VUV PIONA+ software has identified each peak by its compound class (or classes) and color coded them appropriately.  This same method utilizing a 60 meter column enables the individual compounds (up to C6) to be chemically speciated in addition to being grouped by class.

Key chromatographic peaks representing Paraffin, Isoparaffin, Olefin, and Naphthene compounds in the 1.5 – 4.5 minute retention time window are labelled in Figure 2.  The VUV PIONA+ software can rapidly identify these compound classes based on their distinct spectral characteristics and provide quantitative values of compounds detected within each class.  This PIONA compound class analysis can be automated to provide class identification and quantitation of chromatogram peaks within seconds.  Figure 2 inset shows the VUV absorbance spectrum and fit of an olefin compound between 2.0 and 2.2 minutes.  VUV Verified technology enables the analyte absorbance data to be rapidly compared to the known spectral profiles of PIONA compounds.  The analyte is identified as being an olefin compound and verified by the overlapping fit spectrum.  The zero value residual fit data further validates the olefin compound class identity.  This VUV PIONA+ methodology eliminates the compound/class identification error inherent to alternative detection technologies.

Figure 2: Zoomed-in chromatogram of gasoline sample with key PIONA compound class representative peaks labeled.
Inset figure shows olefin spectral and residual fit data.

Table 1 displays the carbon number and mass % composition of the PIONA compounds featured in Fig 1 and 2.  The VUV PIONA+ report provides the carbon number breakdown within each PIONA compound class, as well as the mass percent of PIONA classes relative to each other.  Not shown in the table is a small proportion of oxygenates (~4%) that were identified and quantitated along with the PIONA characterization.  An additional small proportion of PAHs was also quantitated and reported separately.  PIONA-specific reports with these quantitative parameters can be easily automated using the VUV PIONA+ software.

Table 1: Carbon number and mass % composition of the PIONA compounds featured in Fig 1 and 2.

For more information please see the introduction to PIONA+ article in Petro Industry News here. To learn more about GC-VUV technology, VUV Analyze and PIONA+, be sure to frequently visit our Knowledge Base.