Summary
A series of alkylthiophenes and dimethyl disulfide were tentatively identified in an oil shale retort gas condensate from a 6-kg bench-scale retort using gas chromatography with a microwave-induced helium plasma detector (GC-MIP). The sulfur species were present in concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 10.7 mol ppm in the undiluted offgas. The GC-MIP technique was successful in selectively detecting the sulfur components in the complex mixture. Quantitation was simplified relative to GC with flame-photometric detection because of the absence of quenching or other interference problems at the concentrations studied. Attempts to determine stoichiometry of the sulfur components by comparison of carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur ratios with those of standards were unsuccessful because of the complexity of the carbon and hydrogen chromatograms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. K. Gangwal, D. G. Nichols, R. K. M. Jayanty, D. E. Wagoner, P. M. Grohse, in “Oil Shale Symposium: Sampling, Analysis and Quality Assurance”,C. Gale, ed., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cicinnati, Ohio, 1979.
C. Willey, R. A. Pelroy, D. L. Stewart, in “Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Chemistry and Biological Effects”,W. M. Cooke andA. J. Dennis, eds., Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio, 1982.
D. S. Sklarew, D. J. Hayes, M. R. Petersen, K. B. Olsen, C. D. Pearson, Environ. Sci. Technol.18, 592 (1984).
K. J. Slatkavitz, P. C. Uden, L. D. Hoey, R. M. Barnes, J. Chromatog.302, 277 (1984).
S. O. Farwell, C. J. Barinaga, J. Chromatog. Sci.24, 483 (1986).
A. J. McCormack, S. C. Tong, W. D. Cooke, Anal. Chem.37, 1470 (1965).
B. D. Quimby, M. F. Delaney, P. C. Uden, R. M. Barnes, Anal. Chem.51, 875 (1979).
D. F. Hagen, J. Belisle, J. D. Johnson, P. Venkateswariu, Anal. Biochem.118, 336 (1981).
K. B. Olsen, D. S. Sklarew, J. C. Evans, Spectrochim. Acta40B, 357 (1985a).
C. Bradley, J. W. Carnahan, Anal. Chem.,60, 858 (1988).
R. M. Dagnall, T. S. West, P. Whitehead, Anal. Chem.44, 2074 (1972).
D. L. Windsor, M. B. Denton, Anal. Chem.51, 1116 (1979).
M. Zerezghi, K. J. Mulligan, J. A. Caruso, J. Chromatog. Sci.22, 348 (1984).
D. F. Hagen, J. S. Marhevka, L. C. Haddad, Spectrochim. Acta40B, 335 (1985).
P. C. Uden, K. J. Slatkavitz, R. M. Barnes, R. L. Deming, Anal. Chim. Acta180, 401 (1986).
J. C. Evans, K. B. Olsen, D. S. Sklarew, Anal. Chim. Acta194, 247 (1987).
R. M. Dagnall, S. J. Pratt, T. S. West, D. R. Means, Talanta17, 1009 (1970).
C. I. M. Beenakker, Spectrochim. Acta32B, 173 (1977).
J. P. J. van Dalen, P. A. DeLezenne Coulander, L. DeGalan, Spectrochim. Acta33B, 545, (1978).
K. B. Olsen, J. C. Evans, D. C. Girvin, D. S. Sklarew, C. L. Nelson, “Testing and Performance of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory 6-kg Retort”, PNL 5055, Report to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1984.
K. B. Olsen, J. C. Evans, D. S. Sklarew, D. C. Girvin, C. L. Nelson, E. A. Lepel, D. E. Robertson, R. W. Sanders, “Characterization of Mercury, Arsenic, and Selenium in the Product Streams of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory 6-kg Retort”, PNL-5658, Report to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1985b.
C. D. Pearson, W. J. Hines, Anal. Chem.49, 123 (1977).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sklarew, D.S., Olsen, K.B. & Evans, J.C. Detection of thiophenes in the offgas condensate of an oil shale retort by a GC-microwave induced helium plasma detector. Chromatographia 27, 44–48 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02290403
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02290403