Analysis of the water-soluble fraction of crude oils and petroleum products by gas chromatography

Crude oils and petroleum products have been shown to produce qualitatively similar water soluble fractions. These were prepared from crude oils and petroleum products and were analysed using two methods of gas chromatography. A headspace technique was used to measure the more volatile hydrocarbons and a microextraction analysis was used for the less volatile fraction. The chromatograms gave the same fingerprint of aromatic hydrocarbons with some quantitative differences. Diesel and fuel oils showed extra peaks in the higher boiling point range, while gasoline gave a water soluble fraction which was richest in both the very volatile and less volatile fractions.