Fingerprinting Hydrocarbons in the Biological Resources of the Exxon Valdez Spill Area

摘要

A procedure has been developed that discriminates Exxon Valdez crude from other sources of hydrocarbons found in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska. The porcedure uses polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) distributions, measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Gc/MS), to fingerprint sample extracts. The relative abundances of alkylated phenanthrenes, dibenzothiophenes, and chrysenes are used to differentiate Exxon Valdez crude and its weathering products from other hydrocarbons. Saturate fraction distributions are used to confirm the PAH identification whenever possible.