3.1.5 restrictor, n—a device, attached to the outlet of a
chromatographic column, to restrict the mobile phase flow
such that the mobile phase is maintained in the supercritical
state throughout the chromatographic column.
3.1.6 supercritical fluid, n—a fluid maintained in a thermo-
dynamic state above its critical temperature and critical pres-
sure.
3.1.7 supercritical fluid chromatography, n—a class of chro-
matography that employs supercritical fluids as mobile phases.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 A small aliquot of the fuel sample is injected onto a
packed silica adsorption column and eluted using supercritical
carbon dioxide mobile phase. Monoaromatics and polynuclear
aromatics in the sample are separated from nonaromatics and
detected using a flame ionization detector.
4.2 The detector response to hydrocarbons is recorded
throughout the analysis time. The chromatographic areas
corresponding to the monoaromatic, polynuclear aromatic, and
nonaromatic components are determined and the % by mass
content of each of these groups in the fuel is calculated by area
normalization.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The aromatic hydrocarbon content of motor diesel fuels
is a factor that can affect their cetane number and exhaust
emissions.
5.2 The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) regulates the aromatic content of diesel fuels. Cali-
fornia Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations place limits on
the total aromatics content and polynuclear aromatic hydrocar-
bon content of motor diesel fuel, thus requiring an appropriate
analytical determination to ensure compliance with the regu-
lations. Producers of diesel fuels will require similar determi-
nations for process and quality control. This test method can be
used to make such determinations.
5.3 This test method is applicable to materials in the boiling
range of motor diesel fuels and is unaffected by fuel coloration.
Test Method D1319, which has been mandated by the USEPA
for the determination of aromatics in motor diesel fuel,
excludes materials with final boiling points greater than 315 °C
(600 °F) from its scope. Test Method D2425 is applicable to
the determination of both total aromatics and polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel fuel, but is much more costly
and time consuming to perform.
5.4 Results obtained by this test method have been shown to
be statistically more precise than those obtained from Test
Method D1319 for typical diesel fuels, and this test method has
ashorter analysis time.
3
Results from this test method for total
polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons are also expected to be at
least as precise as those of Test Method D2425.
6. Apparatus
6.1 Supercritical Fluid Chromatograph (SFC)—Any SFC
instrumentation can be used that has the following capabilities
and meets the performance requirements in Section 8.
6.1.1 Pump—The SFC instrumentation must include a
pump capable of delivering supercritical carbon dioxide to the
column without pressure fluctuations and at constant flow. The
pump is typically a single-stroke-type (syringe) pump or a
highly dampened reciprocating pump with pressure fluctua-
tions not exceeding 60.3 % of the operating pressure.
6.1.2 Detector—This test method is limited to the use of the
flame ionization detector (FID). The detector must have
sufficient sensitivity to detect 0.1 % by mass toluene in
hexadecane under instrument conditions employed in this test
method.
6.1.3 Column Temperature Control—The chromatograph
must be capable of column temperature control of at least
60.5 °C (1 °F) at the operating temperature.
6.1.4 Sample Inlet System—A liquid sample injection valve
is required, capable of reproducibly introducing samples in the
0.05 µL to 0.50 µL liquid volume range. The inlet system
should be operated at between 25 °C and 30 °C. The sample
inlet system must be connected to the chromatographic column
so that loss of chromatographic efficiency is avoided.
6.1.5 Post-column Restrictor—A device capable of main-
taining mobile phase supercritical conditions within the col-
umn and up to the detector inlet must be connected to the end
of the column.
6.1.6 Column—Any liquid or supercritical fluid chromato-
graphic column may be used that provides separation of
nonaromatic, monoaromatic, and polynuclear aromatic hydro-
carbons and meets the performance requirements of Section 8.
6.1.7 Integrator—Means must be provided for the determi-
nation of both discrete chromatographic peak areas and the
accumulated area under the chromatogram. This can be done
by means of a computer or electronic integrator. The computer
or integrator must have the capability of correcting for baseline
shifts during the run.
6.1.8 Sample Filter—A microfilter of a porosity of 0.20 µm,
which is chemically-inert to hydrocarbon solvents, may be
used for the removal of microscopic particulate matter from the
sample solution that potentially may harm the injection valve
and affect system performance.
7. Reagents and Materials
7.1 Purity of Reagents—Reagent-grade chemicals shall be
used in all tests. Unless otherwise indicated, it is intended that
all reagents conform to the specifications of the Committee on
Analytical Reagents of the American Chemical Society where
such specifications are available.
4
Other grades may be used,
3
Supporting data (obtained in a comparison study of Test Methods D1319 and
D5186) have been filed at ASTM International Headquarters and may be obtained
by requesting Research Report RR:D02-1276. Contact ASTM Customer Service at
www.astm.org/contact.
4
ACS Reagent Chemicals, Specifications and Procedures for Reagents and
Standard-Grade Reference Materials, American Chemical Society, Washington,
DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not listed by the American Chemical
Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset,
U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary, U.S. Pharma-
copeial Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville, MD.
D5186 − 24
2