Analysis of Complex Petrochemicals by GC×GC–TOF MS with Select-eV Variable-Energy Electron Ionization

This application note shows that BenchTOF instruments, coupled with GC×GC, can provide a high-performance solution for the characterization of hydrocarbons in complex petrochemical samples. Variable-energy electron ionization technology is also shown to enhance analyte speciation by providing additional data on both molecular ions and structurally significant fragments in the low-energy mass spectra. The enhanced sensitivity and selectivity stemming from the dramatic reduction in fragmentation at low energies also greatly increases the number of compounds identified, permitting robust statistical comparisons essential for successful chemical fingerprinting.