Analysis of light components in pyrolysis products by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with PLOT columns

The most successful method for pyrolysis liquids analysis is comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography. Columns with a stationary liquid phase are used for this purpose. However, when is necessary to analyze a gas phase containing C3–C5 hydrocarbons over a liquid pyrolysis product, the use of columns with a liquid phase in CG*CG will not result to separation of light hydrocarbons. In this case, it is necessary to use PLOT columns with a porous layer of sorbents of various nature. Today this approach with two PLOT columns in GC*GC is not described, as well as its use for the analysis of light hydrocarbons resulting from pyrolysis. This paper describes an application of two PLOT columns in GC*GC mode. This paper describes an application of two PLOT columns in GC*GC mode. The next columns of different nature that have different selectivity were used: Rt-Q-BOND, Rt-S-BOND, Rt-U-BOND (columns based on divinylbenzene styrene copolymer), column with sorbent poly- (1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) and an Agilent GASPRO silica column. The most suitable pair of the columns was determined by finding of their orthogonality. The numerical orthogonality data was found by studying of the correlation coefficients between compounds retention time on the first and second columns. It is shown that the best combination of columns are PTMSP - GASPRO and Rt-Q-BOND - GASPRO, however, the first combination of columns allows separation at the same temperature conditions about twice as fast as the second. Examples of the separation of С3-С8 hydrocarbons in the gas phase over pyrolysis mixtures of different origin are given. •Pyrolysis of used tires and plastic waste.•Analysis of light hydrocarbons in pyrolysis products by GC * GC with PLOT columns.•Optimization of chromatographic separation: the choice of the best columns pair.