Applications for Process Gas Chromatography

BETX Analysis

Monitoring and control of the discharge aromatic hydrocarbons is important to the oil industry. Aromatic concentrations in wastewater can be conveniently measured using continuous gas stripping (sparging) and gas chromatography. Samples containing high concentrations of dissolved and suspended solids, as well as high or low pH, can be handled by this technique.

In this example, benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers are measured at part-per-billion concentrations. The sample is treated ballast water from a crude oil terminal in an environmentally sensitive area. The sample, which contains high levels of salt and solids, is analyzed without filtration. This application has been running successfully for twelve years.