ASTM D5501

Application Note # CA-273877 Ethanol Content in Denatured Fuel Ethanol According to ASTM D 5501Introduction Biofuels have become increasingly important as alternatives to conventional fuels. Examples are biodiesel and bioethanol. Biodiesel is derived from esterification of vegetable or animal fat. Bioethanol is mainly produced by sugar fermentation.The main source of the sugar used for bioethanol production comes from specifically grown crops. These crops include corn, maize and wheat. However, waste straw, willow and poplar trees, sawdust, reed canary, cord and miscanthus grasses, Jerusalem artichokes, and sorghum are also used. Ethanol has a high octane number and was originally intended to replace lead as an octane enhancer. Nowadays, ethanol is blended with gasoline to improve combustion efficiency thereby reducing polluting emissions. The most common blend is 10 % ethanol and 90 % petrol (E10) though the latest vehicles can operate on up to 85 % ethanol and 15 % petrol blends (E85). ASTM D 5501 is the method commonly used to determine the ethanol content of denatured fuel ethanol by gas chromatography. Ethanol is determined from 93 to 97 mass%. Instrumentation: Bruker 450-GC Gas Chromatogarph Injector: 1177 split/splitless, full EFC control Detection: FID with full EFC control Autosampler: Bruker CP-8400 GC Control and Data Handling: Galaxie™ Chromatography Software Materials and Reagents: Column: CP-Sil™ PONA CB, 100 m x 0.25 mm x 0.5 μm Sample Preparation: A commercially available household methylated spirit or denatured ethanol was used for this application note. Methanol Ethanol TAME 1-Butanol Benzene 0 5 10 15 20 25 Min 30 Figure 1: Chromatogram of a household methylated spirit or denatured ethanol. Table 1: Response factor according ASTM D 5501. Figures 2 and 3 show that the data never exceeded the levels specified in the method.20 2.0 94. split 1:200 Injection Volume: 2 μL Oven: 15 °C (12 min) @ 30° C/min to 250 °C (19 min) Detection: 300 °C Ethanol content mass % 95.40 3.06 Results and discussion Figure 1 shows a chromatogram of denatured alcohol obtained using the condtions set out above.5 95.21 % only once every 20 analysis. repeatability was tested. Conditions Carrier Gas: Helium.20 0 5 10 Run 15 Figure 3: Repeatability of methanol content with limits specified by the method. The same approach was taken for the determination of the methanol content of the sample. In Figure 3. In order to show the suitability of the system.35 3. 15 successive runs are shown. Mass relative response factor Methanol Ethanol 3. . two successive results may exceed 0. 40 psi Injector: 250 °C.30 3. The calculation of the mass% of ethanol and methanol is done using a normalized area percent calculation with response factors. again with limits specified in ASTM D 5501. Figure 2 shows the data set from 36 successive runs and the limits specified.25 3.5 0 5 10 15 20 25 Run 30 Figure 2: Repeatability of ethanol content with limits specified by the method. According to ASTM D 5501. Methanol content mass % 3. © Bruker Daltonics 12-2010. “Determination of Ethanol Content of Denatured Fuel Ethanol by Gas Chromatography”. Keywords Ethanol ASTM D 5501 Denatured Fuel Ethanol Gas chromatography Instrumentation & Software 450-GC Gas Chromatograph CP-8400 Autosampler Galaxie Chromatography Software References ASTM Standard D 5501. PA. 1994. ASTM International.astm. MA · USA Phone +1 (978) 663-3660 Fax +1 (978) 667-5993 [email protected]. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.com www.de Bruker Daltonics Inc. Bruker Daltonik GmbH Bremen · Germany Phone +49 (0)421-2205-0 Fax +49 (0)421-2205-103 [email protected] Authors: Arno Woltering For research use only. www. Billerica. #CA-273877 . West Conshohocken.Conclusion The data presented here clearly show the suitability of the system for accurate determination of ethanol and methanol according ASTM D 5501.com/chemicalanalysis Bruker Daltonics is continually improving its products and reserves the right to change specifications without notice.