Study of 22-year-old arrow oil samples using biomarker compounds by GC/MS

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00058a027· OSTI ID:7133248

Wang, Z; Fingas, M; Sergy, G ^[1]

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1. Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

A GC/MS method for the characterization of 22-year-old spilled Arrow oil is described. After 22 years of weathering in the environment, most saturated hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in most Arrow oil samples have been lost. Their fingerprint give little information of the source, characteristics, and fate of the spilled oil. However, the method using biomarker compounds by GC/MS offers the distinct advantages of being better able to withstand interference from heavy weathering effects and to identify and match the spilled oil source. From 11 intertidal sediment samples collected from the shorelines of Chedabucto Bay, 47 triterpanes and steranes were positively identified. The relative abundance ratios of several pairs of triterpane and sterane compounds, especially the ratio of C[sub 29]/C[sub 30] hopanes that are displayed as major peaks in the m/z 191 ion chromatograms, are apparently independent of weathering effects and are unambiguously used for identifying the source of the 22-year-old Arrow oil samples. 27 refs., 8 figs., 6 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 7133248
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Vol. 28:9; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
OIL SPILLS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
WEATHERING
COMPILED DATA
EXTRACTION
NOVA SCOTIA
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTS
WATER POLLUTION
AROMATICS
CANADA
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DATA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
400102 - Chemical & Spectral Procedures
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)