Chemical Characterization of Crude Oil Residues from an Arctic Beach by GC/MS and GC/FID

Abstract

A complete "total oil analysis method" suitable for monitoring chemical composition changes and studying the fate of 12-year-old weathered oil residues from an arctic beach is described. The characterizations not only are through analyses of individual aliphatic, aromatic, and biomarker compounds but also are through "pattern recognition" plots involving more than 100 important oil components and component groupings. The weathered percentages of residual oil in Baffin Island oil spill samples are quantified using C29 and C30 a/Miopane in the "fresh" source oil as internal oil references. The values of the weathered percentages show excellent correlation to the total solventextractable materials (TSEM), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), aliphatic, aromatic, and biomarker compound analysis results. Biodegradation is demonstrated to have played an important role in the degradation and removal of the residual oil. Twelve years after the spill, the composition changes due to weathering progress much more slowly, and this slower rate of change will continue under these arctic conditions.

Actions of Mycobacterium sp. Strain AP1 on the Saturated- and Aromatic-Hydrocarbon Fractions of Fuel Oil in a Marine Medium

“…strain AP1 carried out a substantial attack on mono-and dimethylated PAHs (degradation of 53 to 97%) as well as on trimethylated phenanthrenes, trimethylated dibenzothiophenes, and monomethylated fluoranthenes/pyrenes (28 to 35%). As found in laboratory and field studies (44,46,47), the biodegradation percentages within each of these series of alkyl-PAHs for strain AP1 decreased with increasing alkyl substitution. However, the preference in degradation of the different families found for Mycobacterium sp.…”

Chemical characterization of naturally weathered oil residues in the sediment from Yellow River Delta, China

“…Methyl dibenzothiophene ratios (4-MDBT/1-MDBT, MDR) are often used to assess the maturity of organic matter in the marine source rocks without vitrinite and crude oils (Chakhmakhchev et al, 1997). MDR have been also successfully used to discriminate different oil samples and to identify the sources of spilled oils (Wang et al, 1995). However, the two ratios gradually decrease with increase in the biodegradation degree for biodegraded oils in this study.…”

Gas Chromatographic Analysis of External Oil and Blackish Liquid Contents of Digestive Organs of Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) in the Japan Sea.

“…1b). Moreover ratios of C17 to pristane, known to be useful as a chemical indicator identification of oil components (Wang et al 1995in Shibata 1997) were 1.82 for the oil adhering to the body vs 2.26 in the blackish liquid from the oiled bird. Ratios of C18 to phytane, another indicator, were 3.28 in the former vs 3.61 in the latter.…”