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Natural bitumens versus oil pollution in the Vlasina lake peat

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Abstract

Free and associated bitumens were isolated by sequential extraction from Vlasina lake peat (SE Serbia) and were investigated in order to differentiate between oil pollution and natural bitumens. Four peat samples were collected at different depths, on a peat island. Gas chromatographic (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed the presence of three markedly different bitumen fractions. Here we show that the free bitumens are representing the native peat bitumens. The two associated bitumens are mainly the products of bacterial rework of organic substance, which were then trapped by two differing mechanisms. The bitumens characteristics and association features exclude a contribution of oil pollution.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank to Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung for providing GC/MS analyses. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Sciences, Technology and Development of Republic of Serbia for supporting this research

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade POB 158, Chemistry Center, IChTM, Njegoševa 12, Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro

    D. Đurka, P. Pfendt & B. Jovančićević

  2. Chemistry Center, IChTM, Njegoševa 12, Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro

    O. Cvetković

  3. Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, POB 54, Hannover, Germany

    H. Wehner

Authors
  1. D. Đurka
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  2. P. Pfendt
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  3. B. Jovančićević
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  4. O. Cvetković
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  5. H. Wehner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Đurka.

Additional information

Selected article from the Regional Symposium on Chemistry and Environment Krusevac, Serbia, June 2003, organised by Dr. Branimir Jovancicevic.

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Đurka, D., Pfendt, P., Jovančićević, B. et al. Natural bitumens versus oil pollution in the Vlasina lake peat. Environ Chem Lett 3, 39–42 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-005-0110-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-005-0110-2

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