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Title: Characterization and comparison of vanadyl and nickel compounds in heavy crude petroleums and asphaltenes by reverse-phase and size-exclusion liquid chromatography/graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Journal Article · · Anal. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00277a043· OSTI ID:5671585

Vanadyl and nickel non-porphyrin rich fractions have been characterized in pyridine/water extracts of four heavy crude petroleums using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with element-selective graphite furnace atomic absorption detection (RP-HPLC/GFAA). On the basis of rapid-scan UV-vis data indicating a lack of Soret absorbance associated with separated vanadyl and nickel containing fractions, we have categorized highly polar nickel compounds as non-porphyrin in Boscan, Cerro Negro, Wilmington, and Prudhoe Bay heavy crude petroleums. The presence of lower polarity vanadyl non-porphyrin compounds, occurring primarily in Wilmington and Prudhoe Bay petroleum, has also been confirmed. The vanadium histogrammic profiles, obtained using reverse-phase and size-exclusion HPLC/GFAA analysis for compounds extracted from the n-pentane (40:1) precipitated asphaltenes, were similar when compared to the pyridine/water extracts from the heavy crude petroleums.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
5671585
Journal Information:
Anal. Chem.; (United States), Vol. 56:13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English