2009 R&D 100 Winner
In the past few years, biofuel use and production has spread to every corner of the globe. The reasons for this trend vary, but usually it has been driven by concerns over fossil fuel supplies and environmental impacts over fuel combustion. Recently, the U.S. has become the largest producer of bioethanol, and because of the special permits needed to transport this fuel many refiners must denature this fuel with gasoline, a step that requires testing and certification. However, the prevailing gas chromatography (GC) methodology for biofuel certification remains cumbersome. Phenomenex Inc.’s (Torrance, Calif.) ZB-Bioethanol GC column was designed to elevate efficiency in this process and help keep bioethanol plants profitable. Able to characterize 29 biofuel components, the column cuts analysis runtime from 40 minutes to 5 minutes, an 800% improvement in overall efficiency. In a first for such GC columns, the ZB-Bioethanol also meets the ASTM D 5501 method requirements by completely separating methanol, ethanol, and denaturant.
Technology
Gas chromatography column
Developer
Phenomenex Inc.
