“…7,8 Low-resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS) methods, developed prior to the development of modern chromatographic methods, successfully allowed for the analysis of hydrocarbon compound types in gasoline, 9 lower distillate boiling ranges, 10 gas oil and higher distillate boiling ranges. [11][12][13][14][15][16] The methods provide quantitative information (i.e., relative amounts normalized to a total of 100%) about groups of chemical compounds summarized according to the degree of hydrogen deficiency, as reflected by the Z number (Z = 2, 0, À2, ,…) in the general formula for hydrocarbons C n H 2nZ . [17][18][19] The relative amounts of compound types such as paraffins (Z = 2), one-ring cycloparaffins (Z = 0), alkylbenzenes (Z = À6), etc, are used for quality control and monitoring of the effects of the different processing parameters.…”