Application of chromatographic methods in biogeochemical investigations : Determination of the structures of sapropelites by thermal decomposition

✍ Scribed by Ilmar Klesment

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 723 KB
• Volume: 91
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1873-3778
• DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(01)97951-8

✦ Synopsis

Sapropelite was subjected to standard laboratory low-temperature carbonization and its decomposition products (oil) were analysed by combining various chromatographic techniques. The sample of neutral oil (500 mg) was separated by preparative thin-layer chromatography into groups of compounds -paraffins, olefins, etc. Subsequently, the composition of each group was determined by temperatureprogrammed gas-liquid chromatography.

The presence of fragments of material of biological origin in the structure of the sapropelite was demonstrated, i.e. paraffins and ketones of odd carbon number and I-olefins of even carbon number.

Besides the analysis of the Esthonian oil shale "Kukersite", as an example of the practical use of the method, a total of fifteen sapropelites were investigated, and in most cases the presence of unchanged fatty acid radicals in the structure could be indicated.

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