Hyper speed comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with reversed column set for enhanced separation of...

Steranes and alkyl steranes represent key molecular biomarkers extensively employed in petroleum geochemistry for elucidating oil source inputs, correlating petroleum systems, characterizing depositional environments, assessing thermal maturity, and determining the extent of biodegradation. However, their structural similarities pose significant analytical challenges, particularly in terms of chromatographic resolution and coelution in complex petrochemical matrices. Conventional GC × GC approaches frequently exhibit limited efficiency in resolving these target analytes. In this context, the present study aims to address the need for a more efficient and high-throughput analytical strategy for the separation and detection of sterane biomarkers.

A hyper speed comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography method (GC × GC/TOFMS) employing a reversed column set configuration was developed and systematically evaluated against a conventional column arrangement. The reversed configuration yielded improved peak shapes, enhanced detectability, and chromatographic resolution exceeding R > 1.5 for regular and alkylated steranes, including methyl steranes. The separation was completed within 30.71 min, and the system achieved an Average Theoretical Peak Time (ATPT) of 47.16 milliseconds per peak, qualifying it as hyper speed. This configuration significantly improved the analytical performance, reducing the separation time to less than half of the conventional method, for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of target biomarkers and coeluting compounds in complex petrochemical matrices.

The implementation of a reversed column set in the GC × GC/TOFMS system demonstrated substantial improvements in analytical resolution, speed, and sensitivity for sterane-class biomarkers. The hyper speed classification confirms the method's potential for high-throughput applications without compromising chromatographic efficiency. These findings advance petroleum biomarker analysis, particularly in scenarios requiring rapid, reliable characterization of geochemical signatures in complex samples.