Determination of C0−C3 Alkylphenols in Crude Oils and Waters

Three rapid methods for the isolation and determination of alkylphenols from crude oils are described. Two of the methods are based on a novel approach involving the preconcentration of crude oil phenols using non-end-capped C18 solid-phase extraction and a normal-phase solvent program. To our knowl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical chemistry (Washington) 1996-10, Vol.68 (20), p.3697-3702
Main Authors: Bennett, Barry, Bowler, Bernard F. J, Larter, Stephen R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical chemistry
Chemistry
Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Geochemistry
Geochemistry: general, methodology, regional studies
Oil
Water
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Summary:Three rapid methods for the isolation and determination of alkylphenols from crude oils are described. Two of the methods are based on a novel approach involving the preconcentration of crude oil phenols using non-end-capped C18 solid-phase extraction and a normal-phase solvent program. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a C18 sorbent being used in “normal-phase mode” to isolate relatively polar compounds from a more nonpolar matrix. Determination of alkylphenols is performed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), combined with oxidative electrochemical detection (ED), or by gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after chemical derivatization. A direct alkaline extraction RP-HPLC/ED approach is also described. The reversed-phase HPLC method affords rapid sample turnovers with accurate quantitation of phenol, cresols, and major dimethylphenols and is suitable for screening large numbers of samples. Alternatively, the GC/FID−GC/MS method allows the determination of phenol, cresols, dimethylphenols, ethylphenols, and trimethylphenols at levels suitable for routine use in petroleum geochemistry. We illustrate the methods with two petroleum geochemical examples:  determination of the partition coefficients of alkylphenols in oil/brine systems under high pressure and temperature conditions, and study of alkylphenol distributions in a migration case history from the North Sea.
ISSN:0003-2700
1520-6882
DOI:10.1021/ac960299x