Fuel最新文献

{"title":"Experimental study on ignition behaviors of green hypergolic propellants depending on fuel properties: NaBH4-promoted fuels/H2O2 oxidizer","authors":"Chungman Kim ,&nbsp;Hongjae Kang ,&nbsp;Jongkwang Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136983","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136983","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the ignition behavior of NaBH₄-promoted hypergolic propellants influenced by the physical properties of fuels through two different experimental methods: drop and impinging jet tests. The results showed that, for the fuel with a high viscosity and low vapor pressure (SPLP01), almost no flammable vapor was observed during ignition. By contrast, for the fuel with a low viscosity and high vapor pressure (SPLP02), substantial amounts of flammable vapor clouds were generated during ignition. Notably, for SPLP02, an increase in the jet momentum did not significantly reduce the ignition delay time under the fuel-lead conditions. This was attributed to the rapid formation of gas-phase intermediates at the impingement point, which hindered the physical mixing of the fuel and oxidizer. Furthermore, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide had a greater impact on the ignition behavior than the physical properties of the fuels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 136983"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Status overview of the torrefaction technology, its limitations, and prospective solutions: A reactor design and performance viewpoint","authors":"Anthony Ike Anukam,&nbsp;Leonidas Matsakas","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The goal of torrefaction is to transform lignocellulosic biomass into a solid product with better characteristics than raw biomass. Torrefaction is especially helpful when converting biomass into a final energy carrier via thermochemical processes like gasification and direct combustion. However, even though torrefied biomass has demonstrated advantageous quality, the prevailing torrefaction methods are not yet considered sufficiently advanced to overcome certain operational difficulties such as finding the proper balance between salient independent variables like temperature, reaction time and particle size; hence, much of the torrefied products obtained exhibit inconsistent properties. The technique also lacks the ability to efficiently handle a wide range of biomass feedstocks and exhibits scale-up issues that could be linked to poor temperature control and non-uniform heat distribution. Many of the existing torrefaction systems have been developed and validated for use in the processing of wood-based materials. Studies performed with non-woody materials yielded unsatisfactory results due to their inclination to ignite and carbonize readily during torrefaction. This review, therefore, presents a status overview of torrefaction technology and discusses the limitations of the technique from a reactor design perspective, as well as identifies system-level research that could potentially help to address the technology’s constraints. The basic principles of torrefaction and the mechanisms that affect the quality of torrefied products, including key process variables and kinetics are also discussed. Other expounded aspects include reactor design concepts, process monitoring and control, and specific technological barriers thought to hamper the technology’s attempt to achieve commercial success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 136723"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abating secondary NH3 and N2O formation on the three-way catalysts: The role of steam","authors":"A. Wahbi ,&nbsp;G. Brinklow ,&nbsp;A. Cova-Bonillo ,&nbsp;M. Wu ,&nbsp;A. Tsolakis ,&nbsp;J.M. Herreros ,&nbsp;S. Zeraati-Rezaei ,&nbsp;P.J. Millington ,&nbsp;R. Blight","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Even though water injection has already been proven to reduce NOx formation within the combustion chamber, there is limited research on how this affects the formation of such emissions in three-way catalysts (TWCs). Considering this, the work presented here studies the effect of in-cylinder water injection on the performance of a TWC with respect to the formation of ammonia (NH₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Experimental testing using a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine fitted with an intake port water injection system was completed. These tests found a clear reduction in NH₃ formation over the TWC when in-cylinder water injection was implemented. The reduction in NH₃ formation, particularly pronounced at richer conditions, is attributed to lower engine-out NO concentrations, which in turn reduces secondary NH₃ formation over the TWC. Lean engine conditions did not produce any NH₃ with or without water injection, due to lower TWC NH₃ selectivity. There was minimal formation of N₂O during this work as the TWC temperature was greater than the typical N₂O formation window. This work highlights the synergistic benefits of reducing secondary emissions during the combustion process and the favourable effect on catalytic technologies through in-cylinder water enrichment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137009"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells fed with ash-free bagasse versus bagasse-derived biochar: A comparative study","authors":"Zhenxi Han ,&nbsp;Hanwen Tan ,&nbsp;Haisheng Wang ,&nbsp;Jie Chen ,&nbsp;Han Zhang ,&nbsp;Zongying Han","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells (DC-SOFCs) have attracted considerable attention as highly efficient power generation systems. This study provides a comparative assessment of performance and operational stability of Ni-YSZ anode-supported SOFCs fueled by ash-free raw bagasse versus its pyrolyzed biochar. Structural analysis confirmed pyrolysis-driven transformation of bagasse into a carbon-enriched biochar, evidenced by an elevated C/O ratio (7.6 vs. 1.6). Electrochemical evaluation demonstrated that SOFCs operating on direct bagasse achieved higher peak power density (324 mW/cm² at 800 °C) than those fueled by bagasse-derived biochar (277 mW/cm²), which is attributed to the in-situ generation of pyrolysis gases (H₂/CO/CH₄) during operation. Durability tests revealed divergent failure mechanisms: biochar-fueled cells experienced voltage collapse after 20 h at 0.3 A/cm² due to carbon depletion, whereas direct bagasse operation exhibited premature failure within 10 h at 0.4 A/cm² owing to fuel supply discontinuity. This study reveals that ash-free bagasse is a promising carbon–neutral fuel for SOFCs, and underscores the need for strategies to ensure continuous fuel delivery for sustained operation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137049"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Securing CO2 storage in fractured reservoirs: Intelligent characterization of critical natural fracture pathways","authors":"Fengyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Jizhou Tang ,&nbsp;Jun Zhou ,&nbsp;Yubo Liu ,&nbsp;Junlun Li ,&nbsp;Yifeng Zeng ,&nbsp;Zhenguang Zhao ,&nbsp;Juan Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhe Sun ,&nbsp;Wenbo Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136915","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136915","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate characterization of natural fractures (NF) in depleted reservoirs is critical for mitigating CO₂ leakage risks during Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) deployment. However, conventional methods fail to address the core challenge of reliably segmenting fragmented fracture networks in Electrical Imaging Logging (EIL) images, leading to significant uncertainties in storage integrity assessment. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel dual-core intelligent framework integrating prior knowledge-guided graph representation and graph contrastive learning. Specifically, NF features are extracted via pixel-node transformed path-graphs that explicitly encode spatial attributes (e.g., fracture density, azimuth), followed by knowledge-based multi-threshold denoising to eliminate non-conductive artifacts. Crucially, a graph contrastive learning model is introduced to analyze morphological dependencies among fracture nodes, enabling robust matching of fragmented segments under subtle variations—a capability unattainable by traditional machine learning methods. Validated with field data from Southwest China, our approach achieves a breakthrough accuracy of 96.37% in fracture identification, significantly outperforming existing techniques. This study contributes the scalable solution for reconstructing complete NF networks from fragmented EIL images, providing reliable characterization of critical CO₂ leakage pathways. By ensuring reliable reservoir potential assessment, our method directly enhances storage security and advances the safe deployment of carbon sequestration in renewable energy transition initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 136915"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced Room-Temperature catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde via A novel Na-Doped MnO2/Co3O4 Catalyst: Oxygen vacancy engineering and application in Aqueous-Gas hybrid purification system","authors":"Wenjie Zhai ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Zang ,&nbsp;Liming Chai,&nbsp;Xiyue Ma,&nbsp;Yuting Wang,&nbsp;Zhaoyang Tan,&nbsp;Jianbin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The degradation of indoor formaldehyde (HCHO) is crucial for safeguarding human health, yet the rational design and controlled synthesis of highly efficient non-noble metal catalysts remain challenging. In particular, strategies that enhance oxygen vacancy concentration through targeted dopant modification have emerged as promising approaches to boost catalytic oxidation activity. Herein, a novel Na-doped MnO₂/Co₃O₄ ternary composite, (MnO₂/Na_0.7MnO_2.05)/Co₃O₄, was successfully synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal treatment followed by high-temperature calcination, yielding uniform spherical architectures with high specific surface area (129.59 m²·g⁻¹) and mesoporous texture. Subsequent Na incorporation effectively increased the proportion of Mn³⁺ species and oxygen vacancies, thereby enhancing the mobility of surface-adsorbed oxygen (O_ads) and lattice oxygen (O_latt), which collectively facilitated the catalytic oxidation of HCHO. The as-prepared catalyst demonstrated excellent degradation performance: at 30 °C, a 62.42 % removal efficiency of 10 mL 100 mg L^-1 aqueous HCHO was achieved within 1 h, reaching 96.39 % after 8 h. Mechanistic insights obtained from EPR spectroscopy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations further elucidated the adsorption and degradation pathways of HCHO in solution. Notably, beyond conventional aqueous-phase studies, the catalyst was further integrated into a hybrid aqueous-gas purification system employing a commercial air-conditioning fan. Under this practical configuration, a 56.36 % degradation efficiency was achieved for 4000 mL 10 mg·L^-1 aqueous HCHO within 5 h at room temperature. This study not only demonstrates a new material design strategy by coupling alkali-metal doping with a MnO₂/Co₃O₄ binary composite, but also pioneers a hybrid degradation concept that bridges aqueous-phase and gas-phase purification. The results highlight both the structural–electronic regulation of the catalyst and its engineering feasibility, providing new insights into catalyst development and offering a promising pathway toward the practical implementation of room-temperature VOCs removal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137053"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Control mechanism of pressure drop rate on coalbed methane productivity by using production data and physical simulation technology","authors":"Heyao Miao ,&nbsp;Veerle Vandeginste ,&nbsp;Junjian Zhang ,&nbsp;Shangbin Chen ,&nbsp;Xiangchun Chang ,&nbsp;Yi Du ,&nbsp;Yang Wang ,&nbsp;Chongtao Wei ,&nbsp;Jinhui Luo ,&nbsp;Fangkai Quan ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137060","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;When determining the location of Coalbed Methane (CBM) wells, pressure variation is a key factor affecting CBM productivity. Understanding the relationship between reservoir pressure and gas production has become a central challenge in CBM development. In this study, drainage data from CBM wells located in a specific area on the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin were analysed to investigate the influence of geological parameters (e.g. coal seam thickness, burial depth) on productivity across different CBM well types. Subsequently, the effect of pressure drop rate on CBM production dynamics was studied.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;To further explore this relationship, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were conducted to simulate stepwise depressurization and methane desorption. These experiments addressed the impact of pressure drop rate on methane desorption from both primary and fractured coal structures. A numerical simulation model was then developed to evaluate CBM production performance under varying pressure drop rate constraints. This integrated approach considered key factors such as reservoir pressure and gas content to systematically assess the influence of pressure drop rate on CBM productivity. The main findings are as follows: 1) Pressure-production relationship: An exponential relationship was observed between the pressure decline curves of vertical and horizontal wells. The pressure drop stage corresponds to the stages of increasing and stable gas production. A higher pressure drop rate enhances early-stage production in vertical wells but adversely affects their long-term performance. In contrast, horizontal wells exhibit a pronounced decline in productivity under high drawdown rates. 2) Methane behaviour characterization: NMR simulations revealed distinct pressure-dependent behaviours for adsorbed and free methane. Adsorbed methane follows the Langmuir isotherm, and free methane exhibits a linear relationship with pressure. This distinction arises because adsorbed methane is mainly associated with micropore surface area, whereas free methane is governed by pore volume. 3) Desorption dynamics: NMR physical experiments showed that higher pressure drop rates hinder the desorption of adsorbed methane. The desorption efficiency was inversely proportional to the drawdown rate, largely due to the complex pore structures (e.g. ink-bottle-shaped pores) in the coal samples. Rapid pressure changes reduce methane desorption efficiency, and limit methane diffusion and migration. 4) Numerical simulation insights: The simulation results quantitatively characterized the impact of pressure drop rate on CBM productivity. Higher drawdown rates accelerate the vertical expansion of the pressure depletion cone, leading to an earlier production peak and higher initial gas output. However, over time, these wells exhibit weaker lateral expansion of pressure funnel, resulting in lower gas content and pressure gradients, and ultimately lower pr","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137060"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Purification of high alkali coal: Insights into syngas production and nitrogen conversion mechanism","authors":"Linxuan Li ,&nbsp;Qiangqiang Ren ,&nbsp;Shaobo Yang ,&nbsp;Shaobo Han ,&nbsp;Ruifang Cui ,&nbsp;Yuqian Heng ,&nbsp;Yingjie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purification–combustion strategy has emerged as a promising pathway for addressing the dual challenge of clean and efficient utilization of high alkali coal (HAC), a fuel widely present in many resource-rich countries. This study investigates the migration and transformation mechanisms of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen during the high-temperature purification of HAC using a drop-tube furnace across a range of purification temperatures (<em>T</em>_p). Results indicate that an increase in <em>T</em>_p significantly enhances syngas (CO and H₂) production via the water–gas reaction, promoting the transition from heterogeneous to homogeneous fuel conversion. At 1300 °C, the cold gas efficiency reached 62.96%. The purification also refined particle characteristics, leading to reduced particle size, increased microporosity, and enhanced gas–solid reactivity. Raman spectroscopy revealed a decline in stable graphitic structures, accompanied by an increase in defect carbon frameworks. Furthermore, high temperatures accelerated hydrocarbon cracking and liquid–gas transformation, significantly improving fuel-C conversion. The transformation of fuel-N into gas-phase nitrogen peaked at 86.35% under strong reducing conditions, where NH₃ and HCN preferentially reacted to form N₂ rather than NO<em>_x</em>. Aromatic nitrogen structures in char became thermally stable above 1300 °C, predominantly in the form of N-Q. The conversion trends of different nitrogen species were temperature-dependent, with N-5 decomposing into N-6 and N-Q, while N-6 exhibited a progressive decline due to oxidation or volatilization. These findings offer new insights into fuel-N transformation behavior during purification, providing theoretical support for the optimization of <em>T</em>_p in purification–combustion systems. The outcomes are highly relevant to the global deployment of high-efficiency, low-emission coal utilization technologies in advanced energy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137005"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation on co-combustion characteristics of Fe/Ca-rich Zhundong coal with high-ash low-calorific-value coal: Combustion behavior, ash fusion and slagging properties","authors":"Qiwei Wu,&nbsp;Kunquan He,&nbsp;Jingwen Liu,&nbsp;Hao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the severe slagging issue during the combustion of Fe/Ca-rich Zhundong coal, this study employed high-ash, low-calorific-value coal (HAC, rich in silicon and aluminum components) discovered in the Jiangjunmiao mining area of the Zhundong region as a single additive, and combined it with Kaolin (KL) to form a composite additive. Co-combustion experiments of Zhundong coal, HAC, and KL were conducted on a 0.2 MW one-dimensional furnace drop tube furnace platform. Combined with characterization techniques including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), the differences in elemental distribution, mineral phase transformation, and slagging severity in the high-temperature zone (1300 °C) and low-temperature zone (1000 °C) under varying additive blending conditions were analyzed emphatically. The results indicate that the combustion characteristic temperatures shifted toward the high-temperature range after HAC blending. The higher the HAC blending ratio, the higher the temperature required for complete combustion of the blended coal samples. This phenomenon is mainly attributed to the dual role of HAC high ash content: diluting the relative concentration of combustibles and impeding oxygen diffusion and heat transfer during combustion. The blended coal sample with 20 % HAC blending exhibited the poorest ash melting performance, with the temperature difference between flow temperature (FT) and deformation temperature (DT) being only 29 °C, showing the highest risk of slagging. Further analysis of slagging differences in different temperature zones reveals that the formation of complex multi-component eutectic phases was the core mechanism in the high-temperature zone. The Fe/Ca introduced by HAC forms synergistic enrichment with the inherently abundant Fe/Ca in Zhundong coal, accelerating the generation of low-melting-point phases such as Haüynite and Pyroxene. This causes the deposits to exhibit a continuous molten state, significantly exacerbating slagging. In the low-temperature zone, the mineral phases are dominated by high-melting-point binary/ternary oxides. The silicon-aluminum inert components in HAC can reduce the relative concentration of Na through physical dilution and adsorb gaseous sulfate precursors, thereby exerting a certain inhibitory effect on sulfate-type deposition. In comparison, the HAC-KL composite blending demonstrates significantly superior slagging mitigation capability compared to single HAC blending. KL enhances the inert matrix through the enrichment of silicon-aluminum components, and at the same time, relies on active Al₂O₃ to convert free Fe³⁺ and Ca²⁺ in the system into high-melting-point stable phases such as Hercynite and Anorthite. This process reduces the formation of low-melting-point eutectics and effectively lowers the risk of slagging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137021"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forensic differentiation of Malaysia biodiesel and illicit fuels using GC-FID and GC–MS techniques","authors":"Mohd Rashidi Abdull Manap ,&nbsp;Ananthy Retnam ,&nbsp;Norizah Abdul Rahman ,&nbsp;Nurul Ain Mohammed ,&nbsp;Nurul Zulaikha Rozlan ,&nbsp;Hui Juen Sew ,&nbsp;Ramizah Azis ,&nbsp;Noor Hazfalinda Hamzah ,&nbsp;Philipp Weller","doi":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses a serious threat to marine biodiversity and economic stability, particularly in coastal nations like Malaysia, where the smuggling of government-subsidized fuel is often linked to IUU activities. This study presents a forensic approach using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to chemically characterize and differentiate between legally distributed Malaysia biodiesel blends (B7 and B10) and illicit fuels seized from vessels involved in maritime violations. A total of 29 fuel samples from detained vessels in Kuala Terengganu and Mersing were compared with 20 reference biodiesel samples from major Malaysia fuel brands. GC-FID revealed hydrocarbon ranges of C10–C29 in biodiesel, with additional FAME peaks near n-C19 and n-C21, while IUU fuels showed wider ranges (C10–C33) but no FAMEs. GC–MS confirmed key biomarkers—bicyclic sesquiterpanes, adamantanes, isoprenoids, PAHs, and FAMEs—highlighting methyl palmitate (C16:0) and methyl oleate (C18:1) as diagnostic of biodiesel. Multivariate analyses (HCA and PCA) further separated B7, B10 and IUU samples, with subtle differences between B7 and B10 attributed to feedstock or blending variation. This study is the first to combine GC-FID, GC–MS, and chemometric analyses (PCA and HCA) into a forensic framework for differentiating Malaysian biodiesel blends (B7, B10) from illicit maritime fuels. By leveraging diagnostic biomarkers beyond FAMEs, the approach enables robust classification and provenance analysis. This integrated strategy provides evidential value for maritime law enforcement, advancing fuel forensics in Southeast Asia. These findings display the utility of chromatographic techniques in maritime law enforcement, enabling fuel source attribution and supporting legal proceedings. Despite promising results, limitations such as restricted sample coverage, lack of replicate analysis, and absence of a chromatographic fingerprint database highlight the need for further validation. The study advocates for the development of an integrated GC-based forensic framework to enhance Malaysia’s capability in combatting fuel smuggling and IUU fishing activities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":325,"journal":{"name":"Fuel","volume":"406 ","pages":"Article 137037"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}