Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identification of refined petroleum products in contaminated soils using an identification index for GC chromatograms

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hydrocarbons found in the environment are typically characterized by gas chromatography (GC). The shape of the GC chromatogram has been used to identify the source of petroleum contamination. However, the conventional practice of simply comparing the peak patterns of source products to those of environmental samples is dependent on the subjective decisions of individual analysts. We have developed and verified a quantitative analytical method for interpreting GC chromatograms to distinguish refined petroleum products in contaminated soils. We found that chromatograms for gasoline, kerosene, and diesel could be divided into three ranges with boundaries at C6, C8, C16, and C26. In addition, the relative peak area (RPAGC) of each range, a dimensionless ratio of the peak area within each range to that of the total range (C6–C26), had a unique value for each petroleum product. An identification index for GC chromatograms (IDGC), defined as the ratio of RPAGC of C8–C16 to that of C16–C26, was able to identify diesel and kerosene sources in samples extracted from artificially contaminated soils even after weathering. Thus, the IDGC can be used to effectively distinguish between refined petroleum products in contaminated soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akhlaq MS (1997) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil-contaminated soil: a two-step method for the isolation and characterization of PAHs. Environ Sci Pollut Res 4(4):217–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barakat AO, Mostafa A, El-Gayar MS, Rullkotter J (1997) Source-dependent biomarker properties of five crude oils from the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Org Geochem 26(7–8):441–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bence AE, Kvenvolden KA, Kennicutt MC II (1996) Organic geochemistry applied to environmental assessments of Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill—a review. Org Geochem 24(1):7–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bieger T, Hellou J, Abrajano TA (1996) Petroleum biomarkers as tracers of lubricating oil contamination. Mar Pollut Bull 32(3):270–274

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark HA, Jurs PC (1979) Classification of crude oil gas chromatograms by pattern recognition techniques. Anal Chem 51(6):618–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diez S, Sabatte J, Vinas M, Bayona JM, Solanas AM, Albaiges J (2005) The prestige oil spill. I. Biodegradation of a heavy fuel oil under simulated conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 24(9):2203–2217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fingas M (1995) A literature review of the physics and predictive modelling of oil spill evaporation. J Hazard Mater 42(2):157–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hudgins DM, Sandford SA (1998) Infrared spectroscopy of matrix isolated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 1. PAHs containing two to four ring. J Phys Chem A 102(2):329–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez N, Vinas M, Sabate J, Diez S, Bayona JM, Solanas AM, Albaiges J (2006) The Prestige oil spill. 2. Enhanced biodegradation of a heavy fuel oil under field conditions by the use of an oleophilic fertilizer. Environ Sci Technol 40(8):2578–2585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Wang Z, Ma X, Xu H, Yao Z (2013) Distinguishing crude oils from heavy fuel oils by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fingerprints. Environ Forens 14(1):20–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munir ZA, Saim N, Ghani NHM (2008) Application of solid phase micro extraction (SPME) in profiling hydrocarbons in oil spill cases. Malaysian J Anal Sci 12(1):46–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Napolitano GE, Richmond JE, Stewart AJ (1998) Characterization of petroleum-contaminated soils by thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection. J Soil Contam 7(6):709–724

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nouvelle X, Coutrot D (2010) The Malcom distribution analysis method: a consistent guideline for assessing reservoir compartmentalisation from GC fingerprinting. Org Geochem 41:981–985

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olson JJ, Mills GL, Herbert BE, Morris PJ (1999) Biodegradation rates of separated diesel components. Environ Toxicol Chem 18(11):2448–2453

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Owens EH, Taylor E, Parker-Hall HA (2007) Spill site investigation in environmental forensic investigations. In: Wang Z, Stout SA (eds) Oil spill environmental forensics: fingerprinting and source identification. Elsevier Inc., London, pp 55–72

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Peter KE, Moldowan JW (1993) The biomarker guide: interpreting molecular fossils in petroleum and ancient sediments. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Pies C, Ternes TA, Hofmann T (2008) Identifying sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils: distinguishing point and non-point sources using an extended PAH spectrum and n-alkanes. J Soil Sediment 8(5):312–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silver W, Mackay D (1984) Evaporation rate of spills of hydrocarbons and petroleum mixtures. Environ Sci Technol 18(11):834–840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stout SA, Wang Z (2007) Chemical fingerprinting of spilled or discharged petroleum—methods and factors affecting petroleum fingerprints in the environment. In: Wang Z, Stout SA (eds) Oil spill environmental forensics: fingerprinting and source identification. Elsevier Inc., London, pp 1–53

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Stout SA, Millner GC, Hamlin D, Liu B (2006) The role of chemical fingerprinting in assessing the impact of a crude oil spill following Hurricane Katrina. Environ Claims J 18(2):169–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volkman JK, O’Leary T, Summons RE, Rendall MR (1992) Biomarker composition of some asphaltic coastal bitumens from Tasmania, Australia. Org Geochem 18(5):669–682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Fingas MJ (1995) Study of the effects of weathering on the chemical composition of a light crude oil using GC/MS GC/FID. J Microcolumn Sepa 7(6):617–639

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Fingas MF (2003) Development of oil hydrocarbon fingerprinting and identification techniques. Mar Pollut Bull 47(9–12):423–452

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Fingas M, Sergy G (1994) Study of 22-year-old arrow oil samples using biomarker compounds by GC/MS. Environ Sci Technol 28(9):1733–1746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Fingas MF, Page DS (1999) Oil spill identification. J Chromatogr A 843(1–2):369–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Yang C, Fingas M, Hollebone B, Yim UK, Oh JR (2007) Petroleum biomarker fingerprinting for oil spill characterization and source identification. In: Wang Z, Stout SA (eds) Oil spill environmental forensics: fingerprinting and source identification. Elsevier Inc., London, pp 1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker M, Pollard SJ, Fallick AE, Preston T (1996) Characterisation of refractory wastes at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites—II. Screening of reference oils by stable carbon isotope fingerprinting. Environ Pollut 94(2):195–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wigger JW, Beckmann DD, Torkelson BE, Narang AX (1998) Petroleum hydrocarbon fingerprinting quantitative interpretation: development and case study for use in environmental forensic investigations. Proc Petrol Hydrocarbons Org Chem Ground Water Prevent Detect Restor 11:483–491

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiong W, Bernesky R, Bechard R, Michaud G, Lang J (2014) A tiered approach to distinguish sources of gasoline and diesel spills. Sci Total Environ 487:452–462

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng Z, Tang C, Fingas M, Hollebone B, Yim UH, Oh JR (2007) Petroleum biomarker fingerprinting for oil spill characterization and source identification. In: Wang Z, Stout SA (eds) Oil spill environmental forensics—fingerprinting and source identification. Elsevier Inc., London pp. 73–146. ISBN: 978-0-12-369523-9

  • Zeng H, Zou F, Lehne E, Zuo JY, Zhang D (2012) Gas chromatograph applications in petroleum hydrocarbon fluids. In: Mohd MA (ed) Advanced gas chromatography—progress in agricultural, biomedical and industrial applications, InTech pp. 363–388, ISBN: 978-953-51-0298-4, available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/advanced-gas-chromatography-progress-in-agricultural-biomedical-and-industrial-applications/gc-applications-in-petroleum-hydrocarbon-fluids

Download references

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this study was provided by the Geo-Advanced Innovative Action (GAIA) Project (no. 2013000540002) of the Ministry of Environment, Korea.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Water Resource Cycle, Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 136-792, Republic of Korea

    Dongwook Kwon, Myoung-Soo Ko & Seunghak Lee

  2. Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)—Gangneung Institute, Gangneung, Gangwondo, 210-340, Republic of Korea

    Jung-Seok Yang & Man Jae Kwon

  3. Division of Geoenvironment, JIU EnE Co. Ltd., Seoul, 157-801, Republic of Korea

    Seung-Woo Lee

  4. Energy Environment Policy and Technology, Green School, Korea University (KU)—Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 136-701, South Korea

    Man Jae Kwon & Seunghak Lee

Authors
  1. Dongwook Kwon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Myoung-Soo Ko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jung-Seok Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Man Jae Kwon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Seung-Woo Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Seunghak Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seunghak Lee.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Roland Kallenborn

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 263 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kwon, D., Ko, MS., Yang, JS. et al. Identification of refined petroleum products in contaminated soils using an identification index for GC chromatograms. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 12029–12034 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4465-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4465-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation