Multiple reaction monitoring of GC/MS/MS analysis of terpanes and its application to petroleum exploration

A highly sensitive and accurate multiplex gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) technique and GC/MS technique are tested for terpanes in a hydrocarbon source rock sample. The terpanes, including tricyclic, tetracyclic, and pentacyclic, were quantified monitoring and identified with the transition m/z (262+14n)191, 330191, and (370+14n)191 by multiple reaction monitoring of GC/MS/MS technique using collision energies of 5-30eV. Results show that collision energies have great influence on tricyclic and pentacyclic terpanes' ratios. After comparing the analysis results by GC/MS, the collision energy for detecting terpanes using the MRM-MS/MS method is optimized at 23eV.