ASTM International

Standard Test Method for Hydrocarbon Types, Oxygenated Compounds and Benzene in Spark Ignition Engine Fuels by Gas Chromatography
 N D6839

Annotation

This test method covers the quantitative determination of saturates, olefins, aromatics and oxygenates in sparkignition engine fuels by multidimensional gas chromatography. Each hydrocarbon type can be reported either by carbon number (see Note 1) or as a total.

NOTE 1—There can be an overlap between the C9 and C10 aromatics; however, the total is accurate. Isopropyl benzene is resolved from the C8 aromatics and is included with the other C9 aromatics.

This test method is applicable to spark-ignition engine fuel with total aromatic content up to 50 % (V/V), total olefinic content up to 30 % (V/V) and oxygen compounds up to 15 % (V/V).

This test method is not intended to determine individual hydrocarbon components except benzene.

Oxygenates as specified in Test Method D4815 have been verified not to interfere with hydrocarbons. Within the round robin sample set, the following oxygenates have been tested: MTBE, ethanol, ETBE, and TAME. Other oxygenates can be determined and quantified using Test Method D4815 or D5599.

This test method includes a relative bias section for U.S. EPA spark-ignition engine fuel regulations for total olefins reporting based on Practice D6708 accuracy assessment between Test Method D6839 and Test Method D1319 as a possible Test Method D6839 alternative to Test Method D1319. The Practice D6708 derived correlation equation is only applicable for fuels in the total olefins concentration range from 0.2 % to 18.2 % by volume as measured by Test Method D6839. The applicable Test Method D1319 range for total olefins is from 0.6 % to 20.6 % by volume as reported by Test Method D1319.