title: Gas chromatographic retention index as a basis for predicting evaporation rates of complex mixtures.
abstract: Models that predict the fate of petroleum fuels in the environment are often required for effective remediation of fuel-contaminated sites. In this research, an environmental fuel spill was simulated by means of a diesel/water microcosm, in which the temporal changes in composition were assessed during evaporation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). First-order kinetic rate constants were calculated for 51 selected compounds and utilized to develop predictive models for evaporation rate constants, using GC retention indices on a nonpolar stationary phase. Models were initially developed to predict rates of evaporation of compounds from individual classes (normal alkane, branched alkane, alkyl benzene, and polycyclic hydrocarbon) and then expanded to include all compounds (comprehensive model). Using the comprehensive model, the rate constants were predicted with a mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of 10%, whereas the class-specific models resulted in less error (4-8%). These models were employed to predict the fraction remaining of the total fuel (6% error) as well as the fraction remaining of individual compounds (13% MAPE). Accurate models such as these will facilitate remediation of environmental releases of petroleum products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mcllroy
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
authors.forename: A Daniel
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States. Electronic address: jgshabus@aol.com.
authors.forename: Victoria L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: McGuffin
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D005742:Gasoline / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D005742:Gasoline; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds
keywords: Diesel; Evaporation; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; Modeling; Petroleum fuel; Retention index