CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF THE OXIDATION OF ALGAL-TYPE AND HUMIC-TYPE KEROGEN IN A HEATED FTIR FLOW CELL

Changes in the IR spectra of algal- and humic-type kerogens was studie d during experimental oxidation of self-supported rock pellets in a mi xed nitrogen/oxygen (1:1) stream over a period of 10 h at a temperatur e of 190 degrees C. This new method has the advantage that it enables the study of organic materials, with high ash contents, to be made dur ing a short oxidation period. It was found that in the oxidation of al gal-type kerogen, three times more alkyl species were consumed to prod uce the same integral intensity of the oxygen-containing species compa red with humic-type kerogen. A detailed analyses of the complex overla pping 1500-1900 cm(-1) bands of the IR spectra, using Fourier self-dec onvolution and/or second derivative mode and separation of the individ ual bands, has shown a preferential increase in the number of phenyl e ater groups compared with aryl-alkyl ketone and ester groups with incr easing time of oxidation in both types of kerogen. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.