Characterization of crude oil biomarkers using comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Oil samples from Recôncavo basin (NE Brazil), previously analyzed by traditional techniques such as gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, were evaluated using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry along with simplified methods of samples preparation to evaluate the differences and advantages of these analytical techniques to better understand the development of the organic matter in this basin without altering the normal distribution of the compounds in the samples. As a result, the geochemical parameters calculated by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry described better the origin, maturity, and biodegradation of both samples probably by increased selectivity, resolution, and sensitivity inherent of the multidimensional technique. Additionally, the detection of the compounds such as, the C(14α-) homo-26-nor-17α-hopane series, diamoretanes, nor-spergulanes, C19 -C26 A-nor-steranes and 4α-methylsteranes resolved and detected by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry were key to classify and differentiate these lacustrine samples according to their maturity and deposition conditions.

Recent Advances in Petroleum Analysis by Mass Spectrometry

“…Improving the reliability of geochemical characterization of petroleum samples by MS has been featured in recent literature. For example, Mogollón et al utilized GC × GC/(+) EI QqQ MS for the geochemical analysis of two different crude oil samples from the Recôncavo basin in Brazil . Coelution of compounds was found to be problematic when one-dimensional GC was employed due to the inherent complexity of crude oil samples.…”

“…For example, Mogolloń et al utilized GC × GC/ (+) EI QqQ MS for the geochemical analysis of two different crude oil samples from the Reconcavo basin in Brazil. 169 Coelution of compounds was found to be problematic when one-dimensional GC was employed due to the inherent complexity of crude oil samples. When GC × GC was used instead, the extent of compound coelution was reduced, leading to more accurate conclusions about the origins of the crude oil samples.…”

Forensic Investigations of Diesel Oil Spills in the Environment Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–High Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics: New Perspectives in the Absence of Recalcitrant Biomarkers

“…; nonpolar × polar or vice versa) connected through a modulator, which periodically concentrates a fraction of the eluate coming from the first column (first dimension, 1 D) and next reinjects this fraction as a narrower band into the head of the shorter second column (second dimension, 2 D). The analytical advantages of GC × GC have been demonstrated for the analysis of crude oils and petroleum products, and the more detailed chemical fingerprints of different classes of hydrocarbons have already been investigated in crude oils for geochemistry purposes, − for the characterization of petroleum distillates − and for oil spill investigations . More recently, the coupling of GC × GC with high resolution mass spectrometry (GC × GC – HRMS) has been shown to provide a more accurate target analysis of key compounds and less ambiguous identifications of the chromatographic peaks …”

Chemometrics-assisted chromatographic fingerprinting: An illicit methamphetamine case study

“…Chemical analysis can be accomplished comprehensively with the aid of second‐order instruments such as GC–MS as a powerful tool. GC–MS involves several merits, including high resolution power (in both chromatography and mass dimensions), high reproducibility and sensitivity, and low detection limits causing to be a versatile and common technique in miscellaneous areas such as biomarker research , crude oil analysis , environmental monitoring , and herbal medicine . Basic shortcomings such as spectral background, baseline drift, homoscedastic and heteroscedastic noise, peak shape deformation (non‐Gaussian peaks), low S/N ratio, and coelution (overlapped and/or embedded peaks) are common defects encountered in GC–MS .…”