GC-FTICR mass spectrometry with dopant assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization: application to the characterization of plastic pyrolysis oil

Pyrolysis is a promising way to convert plastic waste into valuable resources. However, for downstream upgrading processes, many undesirable species, such as conjugated diolefins or heteroatom-containing compounds, can be generated during this pyrolysis. In-depth chemical characterization is therefore required to improve conversion and valorization. Because of the high molecular diversity found in these samples, advanced analytical instrumentation is needed to provide accurate and complete characterization. Generally, direct infusion Fourier transform mass spectrometry is used to gather information at the molecular level, but it has the disadvantage of limited structural insights. To overcome this drawback, gas chromatography has been coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. By taking advantage of soft atmospheric pressure photoionization, which preserves molecular information, and the use of different dopants (pyrrole, toluene, and benzene), selective ionization of different chemical families was achieved. Differences in the ionization energy of the dopants will only allow the ionization of the molecules of the pyrolysis oil which have lower ionization energy, or which are accessible via specific chemical ionization pathways. With a selective focus on hydrocarbon species and especially hydrocarbon species having a double bond equivalent (DBE) value of 2, pyrrole is prone to better ionize low-mass molecules with lower retention times compared to the dopant benzene, which allowed better ionization of high-mass molecules with higher retention times. The toluene dopant presented the advantage of ionizing both low and high mass molecules. GC-APPI-FTICR MS is particularly efficient for the characterization of complex organic mixtures such as plastic pyrolysis oil. The use of dopants allows control of ionization efficiency and selectivity to target specific families of molecules.

Automated summary

Pyrolysis is a promising method for converting plastic waste into valuable resources, but undesirable species generated during this process pose challenges for downstream upgrading. Advanced analytical instrumentation is needed to accurately and completely characterize the high molecular diversity found in these samples. The combination of gas chromatography with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, using different dopants for selective ionization, allows for better characterization of the complex organic mixtures in plastic pyrolysis oil.