Abstract: Converting triglyceride-based bio-oils to renewable transportation fuels like Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) requires removal of any oxygen (oxygen containing compounds) in the final product. This is due to fuel specification and to protect biofuel upgrading catalyst systems that does not tolerate oxygen. Removal of oxygen is done by a catalytic Hydro De-Oxygenation (HDO) process. During the HDO process oxygen containing compounds are converted into hydrocarbons which may be difficult to distinguish from unconverted oxygen containing compounds by standard Gas Chromatographic separation coupled to Flame Ionization Detection (GC/FID). Analytical methods for determining trace oxygen content, either as a total oxygen measure or as speciated content, is therefore needed to study and validate the HDO process. Selective oxygen detection is therefore needed to quantify and possibly identify residual non-converted oxygen containing compounds. This talk will describe analytical methods for selective oxygen speciation analysis using gas chromatography coupled to an Atomic Emission Detector (AED) for element specific detection. In combination with different derivatization and separation procedures it is possible to do selective speciation analysis of compound types like Free Fatty Acids (FFA), oxygen profile of Fatty Acids Methyl Esters (FAME), and total oxygen content at trace levels
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