Fast Analysis of Non-Traditional Gasoline Additives with Gas Chromatography - Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

Non-traditional gasoline additives (NTGAs) like ethyl acetate are being researched as beneficial octane-booster replacements for ethanol and methyl tert-butyl ether. Other octane-enhancing NTGAs, including acetone and N-methylaniline which can degrade automobile engine performance, are sometimes used illegally in gasolines outside the United States and Europe. Unfortunately, monitoring programs relying on ASTM D6730 (Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis) and ASTM 6839 (Multidimensional Gas Chromatography) do not include most NTGAs in their scope. Gas chromatography (GC) with vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy (VUV) offers an easy way to accurately quantify NTGAs in gasoline with authoritative absorbance spectra confirmation of their presence. Spectral deconvolution allows coeluting compounds to be distinguished and identified using the VUV spectral library. GC-VUV run time is less than 34 min and data processing is fully automated.