Fast two-dimensional gas chromatography applied in the characterization of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of coconut fibers

The goal of this paper is the evaluation of fast two-dimensional gas chromatography applied to bio-oil samples. Bio-oils are complex matrixes that usually are analyzed by conventional gas chromatography, involving long columns, long time of analysis due to slow heating rates, and consequently, high cost associated to time consumed. Fast gas chromatography techniques are based on the use of narrow capillary columns that allow the achievement high-speed separations for complex samples, maintaining excellent resolution. Firstly, the two-dimensional gas chromatography method was optimized varying the heating rate (10, 15 and 20 degrees C min(-1)) and achieving the optimal separation at 15 degrees C min(-1). This method allies a good separation of bio-oil constituents with shorter time analysis. The developed method and the traditional conventional two-dimensional gas chromatography method (used in previous studies) were applied in the analysis of a mixture of 30 standard compounds. Despite coelutions of short retention time peaks (compounds with very similar physical-chemical properties), the fast two-dimensional gas chromatography method showed an increase in chromatographic signal and a noise reduction. Good results were also obtained in the real bio-oil sample. Fast two-dimensional gas chromatography maintained all the chromatographic information from conventional two-dimensional gas chromatography, reducing drastically the total time of analysis.