Direct elemental analysis of biodiesel by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.
Agilent Technologies UK Ltd., 5500 Lakeside, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Stockport, Cheshire, SK8 3GR, UK. glenn_woods@agilent.com
An ICP-MS instrument fitted with an octopole reaction system (ORS) was used to directly measure the inorganic contents of several biofuel materials. Following sample preparation by simple dilution in kerosene, the biofuels were analysed directly. The ORS effectively removed matrix- and plasma-based spectral interferences to enable measurement of all important analytes, including sulfur, at levels below those possible by ICP-OES. A range of commonly produced biofuels was analysed, and spike recovery and long-term stability data was acquired. Suitably configured ICP-MS has been shown to be a fast and very sensitive technique for the elemental analysis of biofuels.
PMID: 17657481 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]