Quantification of trace O-containing compounds in GTL process samples via Fischer-Tropsch reaction by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) was successfully applied to eight real Brazilian Fischer-Tropsch (FT) product samples for the quantitative analysis of O-containing compounds. It not only allowed identifying and quantifying simultaneously a large number of O-containing compounds but also resolved many co-eluting components, such as carboxylic acids, which co-elute in one-dimensional gas chromatography. The homologous series of alcohols and carboxylic acids as trimethylsilyl derivatives were detected and identified at trace levels.