Shimadzu Scientific Instruments has published the application note, GC analysis of biodiesel for free and total glycerines by ASTM-6584
Rising prices of diesel fuel are creating a market for alternative sources.
One of those sources is diesel fuel derived from vegetable oil.
Diesel fuel made from plants has the potential to contain glycerols in the form of free glycerin, mono, di and tri glycerides.
These compounds have been found to be detrimental to diesel engines so they must be removed prior to use.
ASTM-6584 requires a two internal standard, five-point calibration curve to be generated for free glycerine, monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides achieving a linearity of 0.99r2.
There are two configurations available for this application.
The first configuration strictly adheres to the ASTM method by using the classical temperature-programmable On-Column injector and flame ionisation detector.
This communication describes the more rugged approach of converting the on-column inlet to near on-column to determine its applicability in a production setting.
