A Comparison of Ten Different Methods for the Analysis of Saturates, Olefins, Benzene, Total Aromatics, and Oxygenates in Finished Gasolines

Published: Journal of Chromatographic Science, ISSN 0021-9665 Volume 41, Number 10, November/December 2003, pp. 564-571

Jan Beens[1], Hans Thomas Feuerhelm[2], Jörg-Christian Fröhling[3], Jerry Watt[4], and Gertjan Schaatsbergen[5]
[1]Vrije Universiteit, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, de Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands;
[2]DIN-FAM, Kapstadtring 2, 22297 Hamburg, Germany;
[3]BP Global Fuels Technology, Querenburgerstr. 46, 44776 Bochum, Germany;
[4]ITS Sunbury Technology, Brooklands, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex TW16 7EE, U.K.; and
[5]AC Analytical Controls BV, P.O. Box 10054, 3004 AB Rotterdam, the Netherlands

The Technical Committee 19 of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN/TC19) in the “Lisbon resolution” requested to evaluate replacement methods to the fluorescent indicator absorption (FIA) (American Standardization for Testing and Material D 1319) method for the determination of aromatics and olefins in gasolines. In the same resolution it was requested to review the two existing methods for the determination of benzene content of gasolines, anticipating lower limit values in future European gasoline specifications. As a result of this request, a round robin (RR) was organized in which 8 gasoline samples are analyzed using 10 different methods in 33 laboratories. The methods used in the RR include, apart from the FIA method, one-dimensional gas chromatography (GC) and multidimensional GC, with and without specific detectors and spectroscopic analysis methods. This study describes these methods in short, gives an evaluation of the results of the RR, and draws a conclusion on the outcome.

Reproduction of editorial content of this journal is prohibited without publisher’s permission.

This article is available in its entirety by fax for $4.00 per page.
Visa or MasterCard accepted.

To order electronically click here
or call: 847-647-2900 ext. 1323
or fax request to: 847-647-1155.

Please indicate JCS volume and issue along with page numbers.