Evaluation of ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography–mass spectrometry as an alternative approach for the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters in aviation turbine fuel

Ratsameepakai, Waraporn, Herniman, Julie M., Jenkins, Tim J. and Langley, G. John (2015) Evaluation of ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography–mass spectrometry as an alternative approach for the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters in aviation turbine fuel. Energy & Fuels, 29 (4), 2485-2492. (doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b00103).

Abstract

The current international reference method (IP585/10) for the determination of rapeseed methyl ester (RME) in jet fuel [aviation turbine fuel (AVTUR), current specifications U.S. ASTM 1655 and DEF STAN 91-91] uses gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The fuel matrix requirements demand that a slow temperature gradient method (50 min) must be used. The fuel matrix also limits the application of this approach in relation to the detection and quantification of low-carbon-number fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), e.g., coconut methyl ester (CME), C8–C14 from coconut oil, a feedstock for FAME production in the Pacific Rim region. A 3 min ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPSFC–MS) method has been developed for the analysis of RME and CME. This is compared to the existing reference method and an adapted form of the reference GC–MS method for the detection of low-carbon-number FAMEs. The UHPSFC–MS method is approximately 20 times faster than the ASTM reference method, affords a comparable linear dynamic range for the detection of total FAME content up to 100 ppm with a linear correlation (R2 > 0.99 for RME), and is more suitable for the detection and quantification of lower chain length methyl esters.

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Contributors

Author: Julie M. Herniman

Author: G. John Langley

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