The selection, identification and quantification of PAH biomarkers to study biodegradation of crude oils after spill events

Conference · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:370249

Coates, J T; Elzeman, A W; Redican, M A ^[1]

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1. Clemson Univ., Anderson, SC (United States)

Individual compounds within a homologous series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may exhibit a wide range of biodegradation rates. Ratios of selected PAHs could therefore eventually be chosen to determine or measure the degree of biodegradation of a spilled crude oil independent of physical and chemical processes. An analytical technique was developed to identify and quantify several families of PAHs in crude oils exhibiting a wide range of API gravities. The technique utilizes both alumina and florisil column chromatography to isolate naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, dibenzothiophene, and chrysene along with their C1-C4 alkyl homologs. After isolation, a high resolution gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method is used to identify and quantify target analytes using SCAN and SIM modes respectively. This research, in addition to method development, also quantified the PAHs present after two crude oils underwent physiochemical weathering. The compounds most resistant to physiochemical weathering appeared to be the alkyldibenzothiophenes, alkylpherianthrenes, and alkylchrysenes.

• OSTI ID: 370249
• Report Number(s): CONF-960376--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
CHRYSENE
FLUORENE
NAPHTHALENE
OIL SPILLS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHENANTHRENE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
POLYCYCLIC SULFUR HETEROCYCLES
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS