LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF SEDIMENT, ROCK, AND COAL EXTRACTS AND CRUDE-OIL INTO COMPOUND GLASSES

A method is described for the rapid fractionation of sediment, rock, a nd coal extracts and crude oils into compound classes. The method is b ased on combined polarity/affinity chromatography of soluble organic m atter. Five heterocompound fractions are obtained in addition to the c onventional saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions, Model compou nd studies show that those fractions are chemically well-defined. The applicability to a variety of geological materials is demonstrated by analyzing a North Sea crude oil and solvent extracts of Posidonia shal e, coal, and recent lake sediment samples, Generality reproducibilitie s and linearities are satisfactory, The total recoveries vary between 76% and 57%, depending on the sample type, The method is shown to be w ell-suited for the bulk compositional characterization of soluble orga nic matter. Separations can be performed on both the analytical and th e semipreparative scales, Isolated fractions are amenable directly or after derivatization to qualitative and quantitative analysis by gas c hromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.