Hydrocarbon-Type Analysis of Jet Fuel with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry hydrocarbon-type analysis (GC/MS/HTA) method has been developed for the analysis of jet fuels. The method employs a short-column (3 m by 0.25 mm inside diameter by 1.0 μm thick film) DB-5 capillary for sample introduction into the mass spectrometer. The calculational aspects of the technique are based on the current ASTM Test Method for Hydrocarbon Types in Low Olefinic Gas-oline by Mass Spectrometry (D 2789-86) inverse calibration matrices. An evaluation of component discrimination with GC introduction was performed as a function of injection port temperatures and injection methods. The analytical figures of merit such as sensitivity and limit of detection were determined. Comparisons between the GC/MS/HTA and ASTM D 2789-86 results of several test fuels were made. Additionally, several synthetically prepared fuels were analyzed by the GC/MS/HTA method in order to evaluate the accuracy of the method.