Ultra-Resolution Analysis of Coal Tar

For those interested in Coal Tar, a substance which plays a key role in many brownfield sites (gasworks, coking works, brick work, tar distilleries & chemical works). you may find the linked papers of interest. The research undertaken by with partners in the University of Strathclyde, Dr Chris Gallacher, Dr Richard Lord and Prof. Bob Kalin, builds on previous research. These papers provide the first comprehensive database of the composition of "coal tars", that catch all term for tarry residuals originating from the pyrolysis of organic matter. The tars we studied all came from gas making processes and have been analysed and grouped according to their production process, notably: 

? Low Temperature Horizontal Retorts;

? Horizontal Retorts;

? Vertical Retorts;

? Carburetor Water Gas; and 

? Coke Ovens (High Temp., not low temp. Coalite).

The research used two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC/TOFMS), to analyse 16 tar samples produced by the 5 distinct production processes listed above.

? 2369 unique compounds were detected with: 

? 948 aromatic compounds, 

? 196 aliphatic compounds, 

? 380 sulphur-containing compounds, 

? 209 oxygen-containing compounds, 

? 262 nitrogen-containing compounds; and 

? 15 mixed heterocycles. 

Despite the large number of compounds detected, only 173 compounds were identified within every sample, which may be of particular importance from a regulatory Risk Assessment standpoint. 

The papers are:

Comprehensive database of Manufactured Gas Plant tars - Part A Database - Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, May 2017 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7901

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rcm.7901/full

Comprehensive database of Manufactured Gas Plant tars - Part B Aliphatic and Aromatic compounds - Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, May 2017 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7900

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rcm.7900/full

Comprehensive database of Manufactured Gas Plant tars – Part C Heterocyclic and hydroxylated PAHs - Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, May 2017 10.1002/rcm.7904

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rcm.7904/full