METHOD IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF OIL CONTAMINATION Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: environmental control. SUBSTANCE: method is intended for identification of parties guilty of unauthorized discharge of oil and oil products into water objects. Samples of oil are taken from water surface and from potential sources of contamination. Water- soluble components are removed from them and residue is dissolved. Trichlorometane is utilized as solvent. Thin-layer chromatography is used to split oil samples into key oil fractions such as hydrocarbon, resins, asphaltenes and volatile components are simultaneously removed from them. Optical densities of eluates of hydrocarbon fractions of compared oil samples are measured in ultraviolet and infrared regions of spectrum as well as intensity of their luminescence. Identification is carried out by coincidence or difference of concentrations of hydrocarbons, resins and asphaltenes in examined samples as well as by relation of optical characteristics of hydrocarbon fractions E/D, E/I, I/D, where E is sum of optical densities of hydrocarbon fraction in infrared region of spectrum; D is optical density of hydrocarbon fraction in ultraviolet region of spectrum; I is intensity of luminescence of hydrocarbon fraction. In case of intricate, disputable issues concerning identity of composition of compared samples intensity of stripes of absorption of hydrocarbons, resins and asphaltenes of oil samples is determined additionally by method of infrared spectroscopy and source of contamination is identified by coincidence or difference of relations of intensities of stripes of absorption. EFFECT: enhanced authenticity of results of identification of sources of oil contamination, reduced complexity of their obtainment. 1 cl, 1 dwg, 4 tbl