Changes in the molecules of a light crude subjected to a soil weathering test to be applied in forensic geochemistry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15359/rca.57-2.8Keywords:
Methyldibenzothiophenes;, phytane;, pristane;, steranes;, terpanes.Abstract
[Introduction]: When an oil spill takes place in the soil, a weathering process begins that alters the composition of this resource and in advanced stages it can be unrecognizable with respect to the original hydrocarbon, making it difficult to assign responsibilities associated with contamination of this type. [Objective]: In the present work, the stability of n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic isoprenoids was analyzed in a light crude subjected to a soil weathering process under laboratory conditions for a period of one year, to be applied in litigation linked to oil spills and/or thefts. [Methodology]: Based on this, the profiles of the aforementioned molecules were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry from the crude fractions. [Results]: Next, specific parameters such as Pr/Ph (pristane/phytane), 4-MeDBT/1-MeDBT (methyldibenzothiophenes), and stigmastane C29αS/hopane C30 were calculated as diagnostic ratios that did not exceed 5 % of their relative standard deviation over the course of a year. On the other hand, the ratios Pr/n-C17 (pristane/heptadecane), Ph/n-C18 (phytane/octadecane), (n-C13 + n-C14)/(n-C25 + n-C26) and (N0 + N1)/N2 (N = naphthalenes) were the only ones with values above 5 %. [Conclusions]: These results, plus the analysis of the chromatograms obtained, suggest that both evaporation and biodegradation have altered the general composition of the crude, however, most of the isoprenoids remained unchanged under the test conditions throughout the study time period, which demonstrates their ability to solve the problems described.
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