Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Preliminary analysis of monterey kerogen by mild stepwise oxidation with sodium dichromate in glacial acetic acid

Journal Article · · Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States)

Kerogen from Monterey shale was degraded by a controlled, mild stepwise oxidation with sodium dichromate in acetic acid. The products of each step were examined by capillary gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses of their methyl esters. Major oxidation products were saturated normal monocarboxylic acids (C/sub 6/-C/sub 34/), saturated normal, ..cap alpha..,omega-dicarboxylic acids (C/sub 4/-C/sub 34/), and isoprenoid acids (C/sub 14/-C/sub 21/, except C/sub 18/). Less dominant were aromatic acids, branched monocarboxylic acids (C/sub 6/-C/sub 16/), cyclic structures, heterocyclic compounds, as well as some unidentified compounds. On the basis of the evidence obtained from the qualitative and quantitative variation of the products with duration of oxidation, the following results were obtained: (a) the kerogen nucleus is mainly composed of long-chain polymethylene, cross-lined aliphatic structure from which protrude n-alkyl chains and minor amounts of isoprenoid and non-isoprenoid branched hydrocarbons; (b) the periphery, compared to the nucleus, contains a greater proportion of n-alkyl and isoprenoid moieties, particularly the C/sub 14/, C/sub 16/, and C/sub 18/ n-alkyl chains as well as the C/sub 15/ and C/sub 16/ isoprenoid chains; (c) other subordinate structures present include phenyl and tolyl groups as well as alicyclic and heterocyclic compounds.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (USA)
OSTI ID:
5100402
Journal Information:
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States) Vol. 52:2; ISSN GCACA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English