Advanced distillation curve measurement: Application to a bio-derived crude oil prepared from swine manure

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids. This new method is a significant improvement over current approaches, with features including a composition-explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for both qualitative and quantitative analysis), trace chemical analysis of each distillate fraction, and a corrosivity assessment of each distillate fraction. In the present contribution, we present the application of the advanced distillation curve method to a bio-derived crude oil prepared from swine manure. One motivation behind the work was to precisely measure the distillation curve of the oil derived from swine manure with our advanced distillation apparatus and compare the bio-derived oil to traditional petroleum crude oils. Then, the information content of the bio-derived oil distillation was extended further with the composition-explicit data channel: gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), infrared spectrophotometry (IR), gas chromatography with sulfur chemiluminescence detection (GC-SCD), and the copper strip corrosion test (CSCT) were employed on each distillate volume fraction sampled. Consequently, we can address the composition, quantitate the total sulfur content, and measure the corrosivity. Using these tools, we determined that the bio-derived swine manure oil contained both water and heavy metals.