Developing approaches for the mass spectrometry based analysis of complex petrochemical deposits

Petrochemical deposits such as lubricant sludges, fuel lacquers, asphaltenes and refining
residues represent a significant challenge to analytical science and are poorly understood
from a chemical perspective. This project focuses on the detailed molecular characterisation
of such deposits using advanced mass spectrometric techniques (High resolution ESIMS/MS
coupled with UHPLC and IMS in solution phase and MALDI and DART technologies
for surface deposits). One of the key challenges to this type of analysis is the sheer
complexity of the data obtained. It is envisaged that a significant part of the project will
revolve around data reduction, simplification and interrogation by applying and developing
software tools alongside other researchers working in complex sample analysis (proteomics,
metabolomics, lipidomics etc.). It is also hoped that the application of novel structural
elucidation methodologies can be used for compound ID. This project would be well suited
to an organic chemist with an analytical focus, who is willing to apply and develop
computational and data processing methods to aid in the analysis