High temperature gas chromatography – atomic emission detection of metalloporphyrins in crude oils

Abstract

Abstract High temperature gas chromatography‐atomic emission spectroscopy is used for the detection of vanadyl, nickel, and iron porphyrins in crude oils. The operational variables are investigated with regard to the effects on performance in high temperature GC‐AED. Under optimal conditions, the method provides charactersitic metal distributions for oils from different sources. The method is also advantageous in the study of decomposition of petroleum metal species. Several crude oils were analyzed for the content of the distillable metals in comparison with total metals as determined by a direct spectroscopic method.