Comparative study of differential flow and cryogenic modulators comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography systems for the detailed analysis of light cycle oil.

The modulator is the key point of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC). This interface ensures the sampling and transfer of the sample from the first to the second dimension. Many systems based on different principles have been developed. However, to our knowledge, almost only cryogenic modulators are used in the petroleum industry. Nevertheless cryogenic fluids represent some disadvantages in term of safety, cost and time consuming. This paper reports a comparative study between differential flow and cryogenic liquid modulators for the detailed analysis of hydrocarbons in middle distillates type light cycle oil (LCO). Optimization of geometrical dimensions of a set of columns was carried out on the differential flow modulator system in order to reproduce the quality of separation of cryogenic modulation. Then a comparative study was investigated on sensibility and resolution (separation space and peak capacity) between the two systems.

Biosynthesis of medium chain length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (mcl PHAs) from cosmetic co-products by Pseudomonas raguenesii sp. nov., isolated from Tetiaroa, French Polynesia.

A new bacterium, designated as strain TE9 was isolated from a microbial mat in French Polynesia and was studied for its ability to synthesize medium chain length poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl PHAs) during cultivation on cosmetics co-products. The composition of PHAs was analysed by coupled gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy. PHAs were composed of C6-C14 3-hydroxyacids monomers, with a predominance of 3-hydroxyoctanoate (3HO), 3-hydroxydecanoate (3HD) and 3-hydroxydodecanoate (3HDD). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments allowed the characterization of elastomeric materials with a melting point T(m) near 50 degrees C, enthalpy of fusion DeltaH(m) from 27 to 32 J/g, and glass transition temperature T(g) of -43 degrees C. Molecular weights ranged from 175,000 to 358,000 g/mol. On the basis of the phenotypical features and genotypic investigations, strain TE9 was assigned to the Pseudomonas genus and the name of Pseudomonas raguenesii sp. nov. is proposed.