title: Analysis of siloxanes in hydrocarbon mixtures using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.
abstract: A comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) method for separating siloxanes from hydrocarbons has been developed using a systematic process. First, the retention indices of a set of siloxanes and a set of hydrocarbons were determined on 6 different stationary phases. The retention indices were then used to model GC×GC separation on 15 different stationary phase pairs. The SPB-Octyl×DB-1 pair was predicted to provide the best separation of the siloxanes from the hydrocarbons. The efficacy of this stationary phase pair was experimentally tested by performing a GC×GC analysis of gasoline spiked with siloxanes and by analyzing biogas obtained from a local wastewater treatment facility. The model predictions agreed well with the experimental results. The SPB-Octyl×DB-1 stationary phase pair constrained the hydrocarbons to a narrow range of secondary retention times and fully isolated the siloxanes from the hydrocarbon band. The resulting GC×GC method allows siloxanes to be resolved from complex mixtures of hydrocarbons without requiring the use of a selective detector.
authors.affiliation: Oakland University, Department of Chemistry, Rochester, MI 48309, United States.
authors.forename: Abhijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Kettering University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Flint, MI 48504, United States.
authors.forename: Stacy K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Seeley
authors.affiliation: Kettering University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Flint, MI 48504, United States.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Nartker
authors.affiliation: Oakland University, Department of Chemistry, Rochester, MI 48309, United States. Electronic address: seeley@oakland.edu.
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Seeley
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D005742:Gasoline / Q000032:analysis; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D005742:Gasoline; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D012833:Siloxanes
keywords: Biogas; Hydrocarbon; Organosilicon compounds; Retention indices; Separations