Impact of different ionization methods on the molecular assignments of asphaltenes by FT-ICR mass spectrometry

Direct sulfur-containing compound speciation in crude oils and high-boiling fractions by APCI (+) FT-ICR mass spectrometry

In this study, we focus on advancing the methodology for detecting sulfur-containing compounds (SCCs) in crude oils and their derivatives. These compounds are critical for geochemical analysis, crude oil evaluation, and overcoming production and refining challenges. Although various analytical techniques exist, the precision and resolution power of Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) stand out. However, the current methods for characterizing SCCs in petroleum products often lack standardization and tend to be complex and time-consuming. Our research introduces the use of Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) as an efficient alternative. We employed a mixture of toluene and methanol (1 : 1 ratio) for APCI, which demonstrated superior performance in sulfur speciation compared to mixtures of toluene and acetonitrile. Our specified method showed high repeatability, with coefficients of variation reported between 5% and 14%. This method effectively covers a wide range of double bond equivalents (DBEs) from 1 to 25 and various carbon numbers, demonstrating notable repeatability and reproducibility. Compared to results from ESI post-S-methylation and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization (APPI), APCI offers a more comprehensive analysis of sulfur compounds, presenting a broad spectrum of molecular formulae and extending across a vast range of carbon numbers and DBEs. Here, we demonstrate that APCI is a robust and efficient method for direct and extensive sulfur speciation in crude oil and its high-boiling fractions, marking a significant advancement over existing techniques. This methodological improvement opens new pathways for more accurate and efficient sulfur compound analysis in petroleum products.

Naturally Occurring Allotropes of Carbon

Carbon is one of the most important chemical elements, forming a wide range of important allotropes, ranging from diamond over graphite to nanostructural materials such as graphene, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Especially these nanomaterials play an important role in technology and are commonly formed in laborious synthetic processes that often are of high energy demand. Recently, fullerenes and their building blocks (buckybowls) have been found in natural fossil materials formed under geological conditions. The question arises of how diverse nature can be in forming different types of natural allotropes of carbon. This is investigated here, using modern analytical methods such as ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy, which facilitate a detailed understanding of the diversity of natural carbon allotropes. Large fullerenes, fullertubes, graphene sheets, and double- and multiwalled CNTs together with single-walled CNTs were detected in natural heavy fossil materials while theoretical calculations on the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory using the ORCA software package support the findings.

Physical removal of PAXHs from highly contaminated soil by density differentiation: studying the effectiveness on the molecular level

Contaminated soils from industrial sites, such as for coal mining or manufactured gas production, can contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with a concentration higher than 10 000 mg kg-1, which require an integrated approach for remediation. A physical treatment by separating organic contaminants from soil materials using the density difference could lower the cost for the upcoming chemical and/or biological treatment. In our study, a highly PAH contaminated soil was separated in a 39% (w/w) calcium chloride solution (ρ = 1.4 g cm-3) via stirring, aeration or ultrasonication. Both first and second methods could separate soil materials from organic particles efficiently. The light fraction comprised around 10% of the total soil weight but 80% of solvent extractable organics (SEO). Optical and transmission electron microscopic analysis showed the light fraction, which consisted of mainly black solid aggregates (BSA), differed strongly from soil materials. Additionally, the original contaminated soil, its light and heavy fractions and the corresponding water phase together with the manually separated BSA were analyzed on the molecular level using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) with different atmospheric pressure ionization (API) methods, such as electrospray (ESI) and atmospheric pressure photo ionization (APPI). Results showed that SEO, which were primarily associated with BSA and successfully separated through physical method, contained mainly condensed aromatic ring structures of pure hydrocarbons and nitrogen heterocycles with low oxygen content.

Differentiation of Seven Isomeric n-Pentylquinoline Radical Cations Based on Energy-Resolved Medium-Energy Collision-Activated Dissociation

Asphaltenes, a major and undesirable component of heavy crude oil, contain many different types of large aromatic compounds. These compounds include nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds that are thought to be the main culprit in the deactivation of catalysts in crude oil refinery processes. Unfortunately, prevention of this is challenging as the structures and properties of the nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds are poorly understood. To facilitate their structural characterization, an approach based on ion-trap collision-activated dissociation (ITCAD) tandem mass spectrometry followed by energy-resolved medium-energy collision-activated dissociation (ER-MCAD) was developed for the differentiation of seven isomeric molecular radical cations of n-pentylquinoline. The fragmentation of each isomer was found to be distinctly different and depended largely on the site of the alkyl side chain in the quinoline ring. In order to better understand the observed fragmentation pathways, mechanisms for the formation of several fragment ions were delineated based on quantum chemical calculations. The fast benzylic α-bond cleavage that dominates the fragmentation of analogous nonheteroaromatic alkylbenzenes was only observed for the 3-isomer as the major pathway due to the lack of favorable low-energy rearrangement reactions. All the other isomeric ions underwent substantially lower-energy rearrangement reactions as their alkyl chains were found to interact mostly via 6-membered transition states either with the quinoline nitrogen (2- and 8-isomers) or the adjacent carbon atom in the quinoline core (4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-isomers), which lowered the activation energies of the fragmentation reactions. The presented analytical approach will facilitate the structural characterization of nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds in asphaltenes.

Development of a Novel HPLC-MS Method to Separate Polar and Non-Polar Compounds in Biodiesel/Petrodiesel Mixtures

Due to a trend to higher sustainability, biodiesel is often mixed into petrodiesel. The analysis of these blends on a molecular level is not trivial, since huge differences in concentrations and polarity of the analytes require a large dynamic range of the analytical method, as well as the ability to investigate molecules of widely different polarities. A combination of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was identified as a promising method and a normal-phase (NP)-HPLC using amino-functionalized silica gel-based stationary phase delivered the best results with very fast (under 4 min) measurements, with distinct separation of the compounds and clean mass spectra of singular compounds. This method can also be easily modified to elute all FAMEs (fatty acid methyl esters) in one singular peak, thus making the separation even faster (under 3 min).

Analysis of environmental organic matters by Ultrahigh-Resolution mass spectrometry-A review on the development of analytical methods

Owing to the increasing environmental and climate changes globally, there is an increasing interest in the molecular-level understanding of environmental organic compound mixtures, that is, the pursuit of complete and detailed knowledge of the chemical compositions and related chemical reactions. Environmental organic molecule mixtures, including those in air, soil, rivers, and oceans, have extremely complex and heterogeneous chemical compositions. For their analyses, ultrahigh-resolution and sub-ppb level mass accuracy, achievable using Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), are important. FT-ICR MS has been successfully used to analyze complex environmental organic molecule mixtures such as natural, soil, particulate, and dissolved organic matter. Despite its success, many limitations still need to be overcome. Sample preparation, ionization, structural identification, chromatographic separation, and data interpretation are some key areas that have been the focus of numerous studies. This review describes key developments in analytical techniques in these areas to aid researchers seeking to start or continue investigations for the molecular-level understanding of environmental organic compound mixtures.

Getting a better overview of a highly PAH contaminated soil: A non-targeted approach assessing the real environmental contamination

Over the last 40 years, soils contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were monitored according to a list of 16 PAH, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This, however, is underestimating the danger to the environment and humanity because other high molecular weight PAHs, heterocycles (PAXH, X = N, O, S) and alkylated derivatives can also occur at the contaminated site. Here, a new non-targeted approach of highly contaminated soil (64.5 ± 9.5 g kg^-1 solvent extractable organics from the German Ruhrgebiet) is introduced, where ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry is combined with multiple ionization methods to get a better overview of anthropogenic contamination at a former industrial site. In total, 21,958 elemental compositions were assigned for positive and negative mode measurements. The approach is strongly increasing the amount of data that can be obtained from a single contaminated soil, making an assessment of the real environmental risk possible. In addition to highly aromatized and (alkylated) high molecular weight PAH, other PAXH especially basic and neutral PANH with very high aromaticity were also detected. This shows that while regulations and routine analysis are still stuck in the 1960 s, modern analytical methods are present in the 21st century.

Studying the Complexity of Biomass Derived Biofuels

Biofuel produced from biomass pyrolysis is a good example of a highly complex mixture. Detailed understanding of its composition is a prerequisite for optimizing transformation processes and further upgrading conditions. The major challenge in understanding the composition of biofuel derived from biomass is the wide range of compounds with high diversity in polarity and abundance that can be present. In this work, a comprehensive analysis using mass spectrometry is reported. Different operation conditions are studied by utilizing multiple ionization methods (positive mode atmospheric pressure photo ionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) and negative mode ESI) and applying different resolving power set-ups (120 k, 240 k, 480 k and 960 k) and scan techniques (full scan and spectral stitching method) to study the complexity of a pyrolysis biofuel. Using a mass resolution of 960 k and the spectral stitching scan technique gives a total of 21,703 assigned compositions for one ionization technique alone. The number of total compositions is significantly expanded by the combination of different ionization methods.

Flexibilization of Biorefineries: Tuning Lignin Hydrogenation by Hydrogen Partial Pressure

The present study describes an interesting and practical catalytic system that allows flexible conversion of lignin into aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons, depending on the hydrogen partial pressure. A combination of experiment and theory shows that the product distribution between aromatics and aliphatics can be simply tuned by controlling the availability of hydrogen on the catalyst surface. Noticeably, these pathways lead to almost complete oxygen removal from lignin biomass, yielding high-quality hydrocarbons. Thus, hydrogen-lignin co-refining by using this catalytic system provides high flexibility in hydrogen storage/consumption towards meeting different regional and temporal demands.

Analysis of Xinjiang asphaltenes using high precision spectroscopy

Asphaltenes are known for causing flow assurance problems in numerous oil fields. In this study we present a comparative spectroscopic analysis of Xinjiang heavy oil asphaltenes as part of ongoing research for an environmentally friendly and cheap chemical inhibitor. The goal is to predict the internal morphology of these asphaltenes through comparative analysis using high precision spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton-nuclear magnetic resonance (H-NMR) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance combined with mass spectroscopy were used in this analysis. Several studies have demonstrated the enormous potential of these techniques to characterize hydrocarbons. Here we comparatively apply these techniques to characterize Xinjiang asphaltenes with reference to earlier imaging studies with atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy to assign a structure to these asphaltenes. Results revealed the nature of the asphaltenes to be polycyclic, aromatic with both heteroatomic and metallic content. Thirteen basic and eleven non-basic/acidic nitrogen compounds fused within the aromatic network were identified. The mass distribution is in the range between 100-800 Da. H-NMR revealed various structural parameters (aromaticity and degree of unsaturation) and together with FTIR various functional groups were identified that include: ethers, sulphides, amides and sulfoxides. The predicted structures are consistent with the "island" and "aryl linked core" models.

Studying Natural Buckyballs and Buckybowls in Fossil Materials

Buckyballs (fullerenes) were first reported over 30 years ago, but still little is known regarding their natural occurrence, since they have so far only been found at sites of high-energy incidents, such as lightning strikes or meteor impacts, but have not been reported in low-energy materials like fossil fuels. Using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, a wide range of fullerenes from C30 to C114 was detected in the asphaltene fraction of a heavy crude oil, together with their building blocks of C10n H10 stoichiometry. High-level DLPNO-CCSD(T) calculations corroborate their stability as spherical and hemispherical species. Interestingly, the maximum intensity of the fullerenes was found at C40 instead of the major fullerene C60 . Hence, experimental evidence supported by calculations show the existence of not only buckyballs but also buckybowls as 3-dimensional polyaromatic compounds in fossil materials.

Evaluation of the combination of different atmospheric pressure ionization sources for the analysis of extremely complex mixtures

RATIONALE

Characterization of complex samples remains a challenging task due to the high number of compounds present. Matrix effects, ion discrimination and suppression are limiting factors which force the use of different methods for the same sample to gain a broad understanding of complex mixtures.

METHODS

Various ionization techniques such as electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) have been used in various problems for complex mixture analysis. Especially demanding is the analysis of energy-related hydrocarbon mixtures, such as crude oil. Here, the different ionization sources alone and in combination with each other have been used on an ultrahigh resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer to study a light crude oil.

RESULTS

Despite the great variety of the available ionization sources, there is no single technique which can fully characterize the crude oil. Each ionization technique shows a selectivity towards specific types of compounds. While ESI is the method of choice for the detection of polar compounds, APPI and APCI favor the detection of nonpolar and low-to-medium polar compounds, respectively. The combination of ESI/APPI favors hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing species.

CONCLUSIONS

Combining different ionization methods can be used as an alternative in order to gain more information about compounds present in a complex mixture although a combination of different ion sources could enhance suppression effects.

Combating selective ionization in the high resolution mass spectral characterization of complex mixtures

Direct "dilute and shoot" mass spectral analysis of complex naturally-occurring mixtures has become the "standard" analysis in environmental and petrochemical science, as well as in many other areas of research. Despite recent advances in ionization methods, that approach still suffers several limitations for the comprehensive characterization of compositionally complex matrices. Foremost, the selective ionization of highly acidic (negative electrospray ionization ((-) ESI)) and/or basic (positive electrospray ionization ((+) ESI)) species limits the detection of weakly acidic/basic species, and similar issues (matrix effects) complicate atmospheric pressure photo-ionization (APPI)/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) analyses. Furthermore, given the wide range of chemical functionalities and structural motifs in these compositionally complex mixtures, aggregation can similarly limit the observed species to a small (10-20%) mass fraction of the whole sample. Finally, irrespective of the ionization method, the mass analyzer must be capable of resolving tens-of-thousands of mass spectral peaks and provide the mass accuracy (typically 50-300 ppb mass measurement error) required for elemental composition assignment, and thus is generally limited to high-field Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Here, we describe three approaches to combat the above issues for (+) ESI, (-) ESI, and (+) APPI FT-ICR MS analysis of petroleum samples. Each approach relies on chromatographic fractionation to help reduce selective ionization discrimination and target either specific chemical functionalities (pyridinic and pyrrolic species (nitrogen) or carboxylic acids (oxygen)) or specific structural motifs (single aromatic core (island) or multi-core aromatics (archipelago)) known to be related to ionization efficiency. Each fractionation method yields a 2-10-fold increase in the compositional coverage, exposes species that are undetectable using direct "dilute and shoot" analysis, and provides coarse selectivity in chemical functionalities that can both increase the assignment confidence and optimize ionization conditions to maximize compositional coverage.

A Detailed Look at the Saturate Fractions of Different Crude Oils Using Direct Analysis by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHRMS)

SARA (Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, Asphaltenes) fractionation is a common simplification technique used for decades in petrochemical analysis. A large number of studies are dealing with the different fractions, but overall, the saturate fraction is strongly neglected. Of the very few available studies on the saturates fraction, almost all have been performed using gas chromatographic (GC) techniques. This discriminates the results of the saturate fraction especially since non-volatile, high molecular weight and polar constituents are mostly excluded. Here, for the first time, saturate fractions of different crude oils from different origins are analyzed using direct infusion ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (UHRMS), to study the compositions on a molecular level. Electrospray (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) are used in positive mode. The observed results show the presence of different heteroatom containing classes, with different chemical identities (i.e., presence of thiophenes, mercaptans and cyclic-sulfides in case of S-containing compounds). These results show the high affinity of some specific compounds towards different ionization techniques. Finally, the saturate fraction is shown to include much more than only volatile, saturated and aliphatic compounds. The detected compounds in this fraction present a very wide variety, not only in terms of their carbon atoms per molecule and their aromaticity, but also with regard to their functional groups and structural arrangements.

Study of the mainstream cigarette smoke aerosols by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry coupled to laser/desorption and electrospray ionization - Additional insights on the heteroaromatic components

RATIONALE

The chemical composition of the particulate phase of cigarette smoke inhaled by the active smoker is still poorly known in spite of its importance from a health point of view. A non-targeted approach is applied to cigarette smoke particles collected on a quartz filter to obtain an as complete as possible description of this complex mixture.

METHODS

A home-made smoking machine including devices for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particle sampling was used. The validation of the cigarette smoking and cigarette smoke collection procedures was conducted by the quantification of some compounds by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The particles were investigated by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) directly after their collection on quartz filters by laser/desorption ionization (LDI) or after extraction with CH2 Cl2 by electrospray ionization (ESI).

RESULTS

The determination of the benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (from 2 to 35 μg/cigarette) and nicotine (0.68 ± 0.05 mg/cigarette) validated the used sampling method. The complementarity of the LDI and ESI sources for the cigarette smoke analysis was established. The ESI analyses evidenced polar compounds and components with a pyridine group and LDI ensured the detection of poly-condensed heteroaromatic species. Finally, this methodology was employed to characterize particles from cigarettes with or without flavoring additives.

CONCLUSIONS

Some insights into the composition of cigarette smoke inhaled by active smokers have been obtained. The ~1750 observed features revealed the huge complexity of cigarette smoke particles and the diversity of the possible associated health issues. Both heteroaromatic and highly oxygenated compounds produced by combustion and pyrolysis have been highlighted.

Effect of acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions on product distribution and biocrude oil chemistry from hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae produces high amount of water-insoluble organic compounds, the biocrude oil. Using high-growth-rate Spirulina platensis as feedstock, product fraction distribution and biocrude oil chemistry from HTL at a temperature of 240-300 °C under acidic, neutral and alkaline condition were studied. Positive effects on biocrude oil yield were only found with KOH and acetic acid, and these effects were stronger under milder HTL conditions. FT-ICR MS showed that O₂ class in the biocrude was high due to higher carbohydrate in the biomass, numbers of N₃O_5-6 species present in the sample from acetic acid run, indicating its less decarboxylation ability. GC-MS showed more ketones and amides were formed from fatty acids in catalytic HTL, and this effect was sensitive toward reaction temperature. GPC suggested more light volatiles were in biocrude from KOH run, while analysis from NMR, FT-IR and elemental confirmed its high oil quality.

Comparing Crude Oils with Different API Gravities on a Molecular Level Using Mass Spectrometric Analysis. Part 2: Resins and Asphaltenes

The combination of fractionation methods for crude oils, such as saturate, aromatic, resin and asphaltene (SARA) fractionation, in combination with analysis by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) has been used for reducing the complexity and improving the characterization of crude oils. We have used the FT-ICR MS techniques in conjunction with electrospray ionization (ESI(±)) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI(+)) to find trends between MS data of SARA fractions of crude oils with different American Petroleum Institute (API) gravities from the Sergipe-Alagoas basin (Brazil), focusing on the resin and asphaltene fractions. For the first time, an adaptation of the SARA fractionation has been performed to obtain a second resin fraction, which presented compounds with an intermediate aromaticity level between the first resins and asphaltene fraction. Both the first and second resin and the asphaltene fractions were studied on a molecular level using multiple ionization techniques and FT-ICR MS to find a direct relationship between the API gravities of a heavy, medium and light crude oil. For the FT-ICR MS data and the API gravities an aromaticity tendency was found. The data show that the use of SARA fractionation with FT-ICR MS offers a tool for comprehensive characterization of individual fractions and selective chemical characterization of the components in crude oils.

Comparing Crude Oils with Different API Gravities on a Molecular Level Using Mass Spectrometric Analysis. Part 1: Whole Crude Oil

Different ionization techniques based on different principles have been applied for the direct mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of crude oils providing composition profiles. Such profiles have been used to infer a number of crude oil properties. We have tested the ability of two major atmospheric pressure ionization techniques, electrospray ionization (ESI(±)) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI(+)), in conjunction with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). The ultrahigh resolution and accuracy measurements of FT-ICR MS allow for the correlation of mass spectrometric (MS) data with crude oil American Petroleum Institute (API) gravities, which is a major quality parameter used to guide crude oil refining, and represents a value of the density of a crude oil. The double bond equivalent (DBE) distribution as a function of the classes of constituents, as well as the carbon numbers as measured by the carbon number distributions, were examined to correlate the API gravities of heavy, medium, and light crude oils with molecular FT-ICR MS data. An aromaticity tendency was found to directly correlate the FT-ICR MS data with API gravities, regardless of the ionization technique used. This means that an analysis on the molecular level can explain the differences between a heavy and a light crude oil on the basis of the aromaticity of the compounds in different classes. This tendency of FT-ICR MS with all three techniques, namely, ESI(+), ESI(−), and APPI(+), indicates that the molecular composition of the constituents of crude oils is directly associated with API gravity.

Characterization of crude oil asphaltenes by coupling size-exclusion chromatography directly to an ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometer

RATIONALE

Fossil fuels are one of the most important energy resources until new sustainable materials become available. To optimize the upgrading processes of these materials characterization of the remaining heavy materials is of great importance.

METHODS

Asphaltenes are the most difficult fraction of crude oil to process due to the limited number of solvents in which they can be dissolved. Chromatographic separation methods need to consider the difficulties associated with these limitations. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) in combination with Fourier transform Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS) combines the capabilities of ultrahigh resolution and very high mass accuracy with a separation method that allows using solvents as mobile phase for asphaltene separation.

RESULTS

A chromatographic method was developed that shows the separation of asphaltenes according to their molecular mass. A simplification of the samples was achieved by reducing the number of compounds present in a single spectrum compared to infusion data. Direct detection by mass spectrometry additionally allows a distinction of different isomers present in the complex samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct coupling of SEC with ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry allows the study of the most difficult to analyze fraction of crude oil, the asphaltene fraction. Separation reduces the complexity of individual spectra and, therefore, also reduces suppression and discrimination effects. The separation of structural isomers which cannot be characterized by MS alone gives an added dimension to the analysis of asphaltenes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Argentation chromatography coupled to ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry for the separation of a heavy crude oil

Simplification of highly complex mixtures such as crude oil by using chromatographic methods makes it possible to get more detailed information about the composition of the analyte. Separation by argentation chromatography can be achieved based on the interaction of different strength between the silver ions (Ag⁺) immobilized through a spacer on the silica gel surface and the π-bonds of the analytes. Heavy crude oils contain compounds with a high number of heteroatoms (N, O, S) and a high degree of unsaturation thus making them the perfect analyte for argentation chromatography. The direct coupling of argentation chromatography and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry allows to continuously tracking the separation of the many different compounds by retention time and allows sensitive detection on a molecular level. Direct injection of a heavy crude oil into a ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometer showed components with DBE of up to 25, whereas analytes with DBE of up to 35 could be detected only after separation with argentation chromatography. The reduced complexity achieved by the separation helps increasing the information depth.

Understanding the atmospheric pressure ionization of petroleum components: The effects of size, structure, and presence of heteroatoms

Understanding the composition of crude oil and its changes with weathering is essential when assessing its provenience, fate, and toxicity. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has provided the opportunity to address the complexity of crude oil by assigning molecular formulae, and sorting compounds into "classes" based on heteroatom content. However, factors such as suppression effects and discrimination towards certain components severely limit a truly comprehensive mass spectrometric characterization, and, despite the availability of increasingly better mass spectrometers, a complete characterization of oil still represents a major challenge. In order to fully comprehend the significance of class abundances, as well as the nature and identity of compounds detected, a good understanding of the ionization efficiency of the various compound classes is indispensable. The current study, therefore, analyzed model compounds typically found in crude oils by high-resolution mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and electrospray ionization (ESI), in order to provide a better understanding of benefits and drawbacks of each source. The findings indicate that, overall, APPI provides the best results, being able to ionize the broadest range of compounds, providing the best results with respect to ionization efficiencies, and exhibiting the least suppression effects. However, just like in the other two sources, in APPI several factors have shown to affect the ionization efficiency of petroleum model compounds. The main such factor is the presence or absence of functional groups that can be easily protonated/deprotonated, in addition to other factors such as size, methylation level, presence of heteroatoms, and ring structure. Overall, this study evidences the intrinsic limitations and benefits of each of the three sources, and should provide the fundamental knowledge required to expand the power of crude oil analysis by high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Increasing Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Molecular Coverage during Fossil Oil Analysis by Combining Gas Chromatography and Atmospheric-Pressure Laser Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR MS)

Thousands of chemically distinct compounds are encountered in fossil oil samples that require rapid screening and accurate identification. In the present paper, we show for the first time, the advantages of gas chromatography (GC) separation in combination with atmospheric-pressure laser ionization (APLI) and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) for the screening of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fossil oils. In particular, reference standards of organics in shale oil, petroleum crude oil, and heavy sweet crude oil were characterized by GC-APLI-FT-ICR MS and APLI-FT-ICR MS. Results showed that, while APLI increases the ionization efficiency of PAHs, when compared to other ionization sources, the complexity of the fossil oils reduces the probability of ionizing lower-concentration compounds during direct infusion. When gas chromatography precedes APLI-FT-ICR MS, an increase (more than 2-fold) in the ionization efficiency and an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of lower-concentration fractions are observed, giving better molecular coverage in the m/z 100-450 range. That is, the use of GC prior to APLI-FT-ICR MS resulted in higher molecular coverage, higher sensitivity, and the ability to separate and characterize molecular isomers, while maintaining the ultrahigh resolution and mass accuracy of the FT-ICR MS separation.

1- and 2-photon ionization for online FAIMS-FTMS coupling allows new insights into the constitution of crude oils

Photoionization techniques (APPI and APLI) are important for the mass spectrometric analysis of crude oils, given the mainly unpolar character of the sample. Ultrahigh resolving Fourier Transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) allows to distinguish between most isobaric compounds as well as to unambiguously determine the elemental compositions of the detected ions. Nevertheless, the complexity of crude oil makes its thorough analysis a difficult task. Besides discriminating effects that can be avoided and depth of information that can be gained by simplification of the sample prior to the MS analysis the presence of numerous isomeric compounds limits the amount of information that can be gained by mass spectrometry alone. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has been shown to be a valuable tool for isomer separation and has also been employed for the analysis of crude oils using IMS-TOF MS. The application of an online FAIMS-FTMS coupling after photoionization for the analysis of crude oils is shown. With this setup the complementarity of data obtained from both APPI and APLI ionization is demonstrated. Online separation and individual detection of different hydrocarbon isomers is achieved.

Electrospray ionization for determination of non-polar polyaromatic hydrocarbons and polyaromatic heterocycles in heavy crude oil asphaltenes

Electrospray ionization (ESI) is the most common ionization method in atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry because of its easy use and handling and because a diverse range of components can be effectively ionized from high to medium polarity. Usually, ESI is not employed for the analysis of non-polar hydrocarbons, but under some circumstances, they are effectively ionized. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic heterocycles can form radical ions and protonated molecules after ESI, which were detected by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The highly condensed aromatic structures are obtained from a heavy crude oil, and the results show class distribution from pure hydrocarbons up to more non-basic nitrogen-containing species. By using different solvent compositions [toluene/methanol (50/50 v/v), dichloromethane/methanol (50/50 v/v), dichloromethane/acetonitrile (50/50 v/v) and chloroform], the results show that the lack of proton donor agent helps to preserve the radical formation that was created at the metal/solution interface inside the electrospray capillary. The results demonstrate that with an appropriate selection of solvent and capillary voltage, the ratio between the detected radical ion and protonated molecule form can be manipulated. Therefore, ESI can be expanded for the investigation of asphaltene and other polyaromatic systems beyond the polar constituents as non-polar hydrocarbons can be efficiently analyzed.

Developments in FT-ICR MS instrumentation, ionization techniques, and data interpretation methods for petroleomics

Because of the increasing importance of heavy and unconventional crude oil as an energy source, there is a growing need for petroleomics: the pursuit of more complete and detailed knowledge of the chemical compositions of crude oil. Crude oil has an extremely complex nature; hence, techniques with ultra-high resolving capabilities, such as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), are necessary. FT-ICR MS has been successfully applied to the study of heavy and unconventional crude oils such as bitumen and shale oil. However, the analysis of crude oil with FT-ICR MS is not trivial, and it has pushed analysis to the limits of instrumental and methodological capabilities. For example, high-resolution mass spectra of crude oils may contain over 100,000 peaks that require interpretation. To visualize large data sets more effectively, data processing methods such as Kendrick mass defect analysis and statistical analyses have been developed. The successful application of FT-ICR MS to the study of crude oil has been critically dependent on key developments in FT-ICR MS instrumentation and data processing methods. This review offers an introduction to the basic principles, FT-ICR MS instrumentation development, ionization techniques, and data interpretation methods for petroleomics and is intended for readers having no prior experience in this field of study.

Online normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry: effects of different ionization methods on the characterization of highly complex crude oil mixtures

RATIONALE

Characterization of crude oil represents a challenge for researchers due to its complexity. While Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) is the method of choice for such complex matrices the high number of ions present limits the efficiency of the analysis due to charge competition and space charge effects. One way to solve this problem is the direct coupling of FT-ICR MS with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

METHODS

Normal-phase liquid chromatography was applied on a deasphalted crude oil sample by using a polar aminocyano-bonded stationary phase with n-hexane and isopropyl alcohol as a mobile phase. The HPLC system was coupled online to a 12 T ultrahigh-resolution FT-ICR mass spectrometer. Ion chromatograms were obtained with electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI).

RESULTS

The chromatographic separation yielded a group separation into two peaks according to the polarity of the components. Each ionization technique was able to uniquely assign components differing in polarity and aromaticity. Additionally, an increase in aromaticity in the course of retention time for nonpolar species in the first peak was observed. Monitoring the ratio between protonated and radical mono-nitrogen species was achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

For the analysis of a crude oil sample, online coupling of a normal-phase HPLC system to an FT-ICR mass spectrometer was achieved. The results of the different ionization techniques were compared with each other, which enables a detailed characterization of the complex sample. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fact or artifact: the representativeness of ESI-MS for complex natural organic mixtures

Because mass spectrometers provide their own dispersion and resolution of analytes, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has become a workhorse for the characterization of complex mixtures from aerosols to crude oil. Unfortunately, ESI mass spectra commonly contain multimers, adducts and fragments. For the characterization of complex mixtures of unknown initial composition, this presents a significant concern. Mixed-multimer formation could potentially lead to results that bare no resemblance to the original mixture. Conversely, ESI-MS has continually reflected subtle differences between natural organic matter mixtures that are in agreement with prediction or theory. Knowing the real limitations of the technique is therefore critical to avoiding both over-interpretation and unwarranted skepticism. Here, data were collected on four mass spectrometers under a battery of conditions. Results indicate that formation of unrepresentative ions cannot entirely be ruled out, but non-covalent multimers do not appear to make a major contribution to typical natural organic matter spectra based on collision-induced dissociation results. Multimers also appear notably reduced when a cooling gas is present in the accumulation region of the mass spectrometer. For less complex mixtures, the choice of spray solvent can make a difference, but generally spectrum cleanliness (i.e. representativeness) comes at the price of increased selectivity.

Application of phase correction to improve the interpretation of crude oil spectra obtained using 7 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

In this study, a phase-correction technique was applied to the study of crude oil spectra obtained using a 7 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). 7 T FT-ICR MS had not been widely used for oil analysis due to the lower resolving power compared with high field FT-ICR MS. For low field instruments, usage of data that has not been phase-corrected results in an inability to resolve critical mass splits of C3 and SH4 (3.4 mDa), and (13)C and CH (4.5 mDa). This results in incorrect assignments of molecular formulae, and discontinuous double bond equivalents (DBE) and carbon number distributions of S1, S2, and hydrocarbon classes are obtained. Application of phase correction to the same data, however, improves the reliability of assignments and produces continuous DBE and carbon number distributions. Therefore, this study clearly demonstrates that phase correction improves data analysis and the reliability of assignments of molecular formulae in crude oil anlayses.