Reaction of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester with Monoethanolamine and Diethanolamine

The course of the reaction between lauric acid and monoethanolamine as well as the reaction of methyl laurate with monoethanolamine and diethanolamine were investigated. Thin layer chromatography with flame ionisation detector was used for reaction mixture analysis. The fatty acid methyl ester is more suitable for production of monoethanolamide and diethanolamide. Sodium methoxide or potassium hydroxide (0.02 mol % ester) was used as suitable alkaline catalysts of reaction. The optimal temperature of methyl laurate or coconut oil with diethanolamine reaction is 80°C. Higher temperatures (over 100°C) lead to a higher concentration of amide ester in the product.

Geochemical Fingerprinting pf Oil-Impacted Soil and Water Samples In Some Selected Areas in the Niger Delta

With over 50 years of oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta, there has been an increasing rate of environmental degradation due to hydrocarbon pollution. This study is aimed at tracing the sources of the oil spills and the distribution of pollutants in selected communities in the Niger Delta using geo-chemical techniques. A total of sixteen samples made up of ten crude oil-impacted soil samples taken at a depth of 30 cm and six water samples (two from boreholes, two from burrow pits and two from surface water – one from a river and the other from rain harvest as control) were collected. The identification and quantification of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the samples were performed with an Agilent 7890B gas chromatography flame ionisation detector (GCFID). The AHs including pristane and phytane, together with seventeen priority PAHs, were identified. The values of AHs and PAHs in the water samples ranged from 0.13 mg/l to 5.78 mg/l and 0.09 mg/l to 1.109 mg/l, respectively, while that for the soil samples ranged from 22.52 mg/kg to 929.44 mg/kg and 10.544 mg/kg to 16.879 mg/kg, respectively. Z več kot petdesetimi leti raziskovanja in pridobivanja nafte na območju delte reke Niger narašča stopnja degradacije okolja zaradi onesnaževanja z ogljikovodiki. Namen raziskave je slediti virom razlitij nafte in porazdelitev onesnaževal v izbranih skupnostih v delti reke Niger z uporabo geokemičnih pristopov. Skupno je bilo odvzetih 16 vzorcev, od tega 10 vzorcev z nafto nasičenih zemljin iz globine 30 cm ter 6 vzorcev vode, od tega dva iz vrtin, dva iz jame ter dva iz površinske vode (en vzorec iz reke in en iz deževnice). Z detektorjem plamenskega ioniziranja s plinskim kromatografom Agilent 7890B (GC-FID) je bila izvedena identifikacija in kvantifikacija alifatskih ogljikovodikov (AH) in policikličnih aromatskih ogljikovodikov (PAH). Identificirani so bili AH z vključujočim pristanom (pristane) in fitanom (phytane) skupaj s 17 PAH. Vrednosti AH in PAH v vzorcih vode se gibajo med 0.13 mg/l do 5.78 mg/l in 0.09 mg/l do 1.109 mg/l. Vrednosti AH in PAH v vzorcih zemljine se gibajo med 22.52 mg/kg do 929.44 mg/kg in 10.544 mg/kg do 16.879 mg/kg.

A study of thermo-hydro-treated (THT) birch wood by chemical analysis and Py-GC/MS

The chemical changes in birch wood occurring at thermo-hydro treatment (THT) was studied at temperatures (T) of 150, 160 and 170°C by analytical pyrolysis [Py-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/flame ionisation detector (GC/MS/FID)], elemental analysis and traditional wet-chemical analysis. THT wood (THTW) was also extracted with acetone. Mass losses (ML) due to THT and acetone extraction of THTW were considered for material balance calculations. The holocellulose and hemicellulose (HC) contents decrease with increasing THT temperature (THTT), thus the apparent lignin content is elevated by ca. 20%. The HC degradation begins at 150°C, while that of α-cellulose modification at 170°C. Compared to unmodified birch, the THT170°Cmaterial contains ca. 10% less α-cellulose and up to 40% less HC. The Py-GC/MS also indicates decreasing amounts of volatile products from polymeric carbohydrates (CHs) and lignin origin as a function of increasing THTT. The identified CH-based Py products of THT170°Cof non-extracted (ne) and extracted (e) materials resulted in 13 and 22% weight decrements, respectively, while the lignin-type Py products were reduced by 13 and 49%, respectively. With increasing THTT, the total content of CO2, water and methanol decreases, and the amount of unidentified compounds increases by 30%.

Brisk Method for Fractionating and Separating Bio-Crude Oil

A new approach for the analysis of bio-crude oils (BCOs) has been qualitatively explored. The analytical scheme is based on the fractionation of BCO through precipitation in water, freeze-drying, solid phase extraction (SPE) and combinations of analytical techniques for the analysis of fractions. Monomeric components in BCO were characterised using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer and flame ionisation detector (GC-MS/FID). The molecular mass distribution of oligomers was determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The fractionation procedure appeared to have succeeded to a large extent as evident in the detection of various components along their expected fraction in the GC-MS/FID analysis. However, a quantitative analysis of the multiple components in different fractions appeared difficult owing to the loss of many volatile fractions through the fractionation procedure. And less than 7 wt. % of the sugar-related components in the acetylated polar SPE fraction were identified.

Tetraploid Wheats: Valuable Source of Phytosterols and Phytostanols

Phytosterols are known as healthy compounds obtained mainly from oilseed crops. Cereals were also studied for their sterols content. Few insights have been devoted to other tetraploid species than emmer and durum wheats. This work examined phytosterol and phytostanol content in seed of six tetraploid wheat species cultivated during two successive years under rainfed organic conditions in Auch (near Toulouse, France). Sterols (free and esterified sterols) were measured by gas-chromatography-flame ionisation detector. Mean value of sterols + stanols content was 99.5 mg 100 g−1 DW. The main sterol was β-sitosterol. Results showed a year effect on sterol content, whatever the wheat species. This could be explained by the differences in climatic conditions prevailing during plant cycle and grain filling. A large variability for sterols content was found between species and within each species. Emmer wheat revealed the lowest values for all sterols and stanols. Higher values of sterols were obtained in durum wheat. This work is the first report studying T. carthlicum, T. polonicum, T. turgidum, T. timopheevi. These species exhibited intermediate values of sterol contents between emmer and durum wheats. Wheat tetraploid species showed interesting levels of sterols and could serve as a great source of these healthy compounds mainly in Mediterranean region where they are consumed as wholegrain. Variation in climatic conditions could help to manage the level of these secondary metabolites.

Analysis of Reaction Products After Ignition Process of 1-octanol/air Mixtures on a Hot Surface

1-octanol is considered an alternative to conventional diesel. In order to know the ignition parameters of 1-octanol, an experimental study of the explosive combustion of 1-octanol/air mixtures at ambient pressure and various initial temperatures was performed on a hot stainless-steel surface in a closed vessel. The ignition temperatures of 1-octanol/air mixtures at different initial conditions were determined. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography with flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) methods, the composition of the reaction products was investigated.

The interference of tetrachloromethane in the measurement of benzene in air by Gas Chromatography - Photoionization Detector (GC-PID)

The European Union requires that the benzene in air is measured due to its toxic characteristics and widespread presence in the population nuclei, motivated by vehicle emissions. The reference measuring technique is by gas chromatography (GC). For practical and safety reasons it is recommended that a photometric ionisation detector (PID) is used. The automatic chromatographs used in the monitoring stations must verify the operating conditions in the standard EN 14662:2005 part 3, which describes the Type Approval Tests. One of the tests determines possible interferences, including by tetrachloromethane (TCM). Part 3 of the cited standard was modified in 2015, eliminating TCM as a possible interferer. Given that some studies ensure the presence of said product in air, there has been considerable interest in testing different mixtures of benzene and TCM. This study has shown that the simultaneous presence of benzene and TCM causes a significant decrease in the first GC-PID readings. For TCM concentrations of 0.7 μg/m3 (typical of urban areas) and 4.5 μg/m3 (detected in the vicinity of landfills), the relative errors in benzene concentration were 34 and 70 %, respectively, which are of unacceptable quality for the measurement of benzene. Possible mechanisms have been proposed to qualitatively and quantitatively explain what happens in the PID with benzene alone and in the presence of TCM. Given the significant impact of the interferer, it is important to open a discussion forum to address this issue.