(108d) Correlation of Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Nebulization Temperature to Athabasca Bitumen Cut Point Detected by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry

The ultrahigh mass resolving power and mass accuracy of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry allows for the assignment of molecular formula to each peak in the mass spectrum. Consequently, it is especially useful for complex petroleum mixtures. Atmospheric Pressure PhotoIonization (APPI) is uniquely suited for petroleum analysis due to its tendency to ionize both nonpolar species (such as PAH, PASH etc. aromatic species) as well as polar compounds (pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen) without the generation of ions from the largely abundant unsaturated hydrocarbons. Here, eight bitumen heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) distillation fractions as well as the feedstock (Athabasca bitumen) were analyzed by (APPI) FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Each cut was run at a series of nebulization temperatures (from 250 - 500ºC) to determine the optimal sheath gas temperature for each distillation cut. The high resolution mass spectra for all eight samples, at 7 different nebulization temperatures were processed to determine the class, type and carbon number distribution of all species to reveal both compositional trends between and within a distillation cut as a function of source temperature.