To effectively combat tax fraud and ensure proper taxation, governmental bodies mandate the addition of fiscal markers and dyes to distinguish tax-reduced fuels from standard commercial diesel. Recently, the European Commission selected the Dow ACCUTRACE™ Plus Fuel Marker (butoxybenzene / butyl phenyl ether) as the standardized “Euromarker” for the European Union. These markers are typically added to fuel supplies at nominal concentrations ranging from 9.5 to 14.25 mg/L. However, to rigorously trace instances of fuel fraud or illegal dilution, analytical systems must confidently achieve a Limit of Quantification (LOQ) representing just 2% of this nominal value—translating to an incredibly low 190 ppb threshold.
To overcome the significant analytical challenges posed by dense diesel matrices at these trace levels, the GAS Diesel Fuel Marker Analyser implements a highly sophisticated 2-dimensional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (2D-GC/MS) configuration. Built upon the Thermo Trace GC1600 and ISQ 7610 MS, the instrument is engineered to accept direct sample injections, saving critical preparation time. During the run, the system utilizes advanced Deans heartcut and column-switching capabilities. This allows the vast majority of the heavy hydrocarbon sample to be diverted to an FID (which simultaneously profiles the diesel to detect potential heavy oil adulteration) while only the precise fraction containing the ACCUTRACE™ Plus marker is directed to the highly sensitive MS. Coupled with an intelligent backflush mechanism to remove lingering high-boiling components, this structural design effectively shields the ion source from contamination, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning and delivering a robust, highly stable solution for continuous regulatory enforcement.
Benefits
Highly Selective 2D-GC/MS Method: Integrates powerful two-dimensional chromatographic separation with mass spectrometry detection to guarantee precise marker identification within heavy, complex diesel matrices.
Low Detection Limits and Wide Dynamic Range: Delivers outstanding analytical sensitivity with detection limits falling below 50 ppb, complemented by a remarkable linearity spanning over five decades (R² = 0.9999).
Protected MS Source via Heartcut & Backflush: Employs intelligent Deans switching, heartcut, and backflush techniques to actively shield the MS ion source from heavy contamination, ensuring extended long-term stability and minimal maintenance.
Minimal Sample Preparation: Drastically accelerates laboratory workflows and increases overall throughput by permitting the direct injection of diesel samples, effectively eliminating tedious preparation steps.
Proven, Robust Configuration: Constructed on the industry-leading Thermo TRACE GC 1600 platform paired with an ISQ 7610 MS, providing the dependable performance required for rigorous regulatory and routine laboratory testing.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Analyser Platform | Thermo Trace GC1600 |
| Detector Type | Thermo ISQ 7610 Mass Spectrometer (MS) combined with FID |
| Injection System | Direct diesel injection (no sample preparation required) |
| Column Setup | Two capillary columns featuring Deans heartcut and backflush technology |
| Target Component | ACCUTRACE™ Plus (butoxybenzene / butyl phenyl ether) |
| Limit of Detection | < 50 ppb (with a tracing LOQ set at 190 ppb) |
| Linearity | R² = 0.9999 (across more than five decades) |
| Software System | Chromeleon chromatography data system |
Fiscal Fuel Marker Verification: Accurately detect and quantify ACCUTRACE™ Plus concentrations in diesel supplies to seamlessly differentiate standard commercial products from tax-rebated fuels.
Fuel Fraud Detection and Enforcement: Actively assist governmental and regulatory bodies in executing robust fuel fraud prevention strategies through validated, trace-level marker analysis.
Customs and Regulatory Laboratories: Empower customs authorities to conduct highly compliant diesel marker testing featuring automated data handling and exceptionally reproducible analytical results.
Quality Control in Fuel Distribution: Continuously verify that accurate marker concentrations are maintained throughout the entire fuel supply chain, ensuring strict traceability and compliance.
Forensic Fuel Investigation: Leverage highly selective 2D-GC/MS methodologies to successfully uncover illegal blending, adulteration, or unauthorized dilution of diesel fuels.
EU Euromarker Standards: The analyser is specifically designed to meet the rigorous evaluation requirements set by the European Commission for detecting the new common fiscal marker, Dow ACCUTRACE™ Plus, in tax-rebated fuels.
