The classification of hydrocarbons with factor analysis and the PONA analysis of gasoline

The feasibility of classification of hydrocarbons by factor analysis was st udied. The difference between the retention indices of 191 hydrocarbons on stationary phases DB-I and DB-5 at the same temperature and their temperatu re coefficients on each column were processed with Varimax orthogonal rotat ion and Promax oblique rotation. The hydrocarbons were successfully classif ied into paraffins (P), olefins (O), naphthenes (N) and aromatics (A). A ga soline sample was analyzed and the PONA value was obtained with the above m ethod. The correctness of this method was fully proved by gas chromatograph y-mass spectrometry. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.