Improve Trace Analysis of Acetylene, Propadiene, and Methyl Acetylene Impurities With Higher Capacity Alumina MAPD Columns

When analysing trace impurities in petroleum gases, such as propylene, ethylene, or 1,3-butadiene, column capacity (loadability) is an important factor in obtaining accurate data. Phase overload results in peak tailing, which can be problematic when trace level impurities elute near the main component where they may be obscured by the larger peak. Peak tailing can be further exacerbated by residual activity on the adsorbent surface. Using a higher capacity column with an appropriate deactivation is a good strategy for reducing tailing and improving accurate quantification of low level polar impurities in volatile petroleum streams.