L. Webster et al., DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SYNTHETIC MUD BASE FLUIDS IN MARINE-SEDIMENTS, Analyst, 122(12), 1997, pp. 1485-1490
A method for the extraction and quantification of synthetic drilling f
luids in sediment, which could be adapted for different concentrations
and types of synthetic fluid, was developed, Six different base fluid
s mere investigated at four different concentrations (less than or equ
al to 5, 100, 500 and 5000 mu g g(-1)). The method used varied dependi
ng on the type and concentration of fluid in the sediment, Extraction
of the base fluids was achieved by sonication in dichloromethane and m
ethanol, The extract was purified using normal-phase high-performance
liquid chromatography. Quantitative analysis was carried out by gas ch
romatography with flame ionisation detection, Recoveries and limits of
detection were calculated for each of the six synthetic fluids at eac
h of the four concentration levels by spiking clean sediment, This met
hod was used to monitor synthetic fluid concentrations in samples from
sea-bed surveys and from a solid-phase test designed to assess the bi
odegradabilitg of these compounds.