Quantitative carbon distribution analysis of hydrocarbons, alcohols and carboxylic acids in a Fischer-Tropsch product from a Co/TiO2catalyst during gas phase pilot plant operation

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) analysis for 1-alcohols and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis for carboxylic acids, derivatised as their methyl esters, have been applied to liquid and wax Fischer-Tropsch (FT) hydrocarbon products. These methods in combination with conventional one-dimensional gas chromatography (GC) analysis of the aqueous, gaseous, liquid hydrocarbon and wax products plus conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the aqueous phase has allowed a quantitative distribution analysis of FT hydrocarbon and oxygenated products to be demonstrated for a Co/TiO2catalyst operating in a fixed bed gas phase pilot plant utilising CANSTMcatalyst carrier devices. The GC-MS method used is, to the best of our knowledge, the first application of this derivatisation route for the quantification of individual carboxylic acids in FT hydrocarbon product streams.