CHARACTERIZATION OF NORTH-SEA DRILLING CUTTINGS BY METAL-BINDING FORMPATTERNS AND DIFFUSE-REFLECTANCE SPECTROSCOPY (DRIFT)

Samples of marine sediments collected in the vicinity of and remote fr om an oil production platform have been analysed for several metals (C r, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb) and for total hydrocarbons. The same sample s have been examined by diffuse reflectance IR spectroscopy (DRIFT) af ter drying, and an attempt has been made to classify the samples accor ding to the patterns of the metals and the reflectance spectra, and to correlate this classification with that based on the sampling site. I t is suggested that DRIFT is a faster technique than the conventional solvent-extraction IR method for total hydrocarbons and - while less s ensitive - is adequate for screening such samples for significant leve ls of hydrocarbon pollution. Classification of the samples according t o the metals present also distinguishes between the two groups of samp les.