Characterization of hydrocarbon pollutant burdens in petrochemical and refinery process streams

This paper describes techniques which provide for both qualitative and quantitative identification of major components in a process stream. The techniques and instrumentation have been deliberately chosen so as to be within the technical and financial reach of all but the smallecompany laboratory. The sample preparation steps consist of an initial series of extractions which isolate compounds into organic acid, base, and neutral compounds and a totally water soluble phase. Each fraction is then concentrated and subjected to thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography, infrared spectroscopy or ultraviolet spectroscopy as appropriate. Results are given for laboratory samples, one a mixture of aniline, phenol, benzoic acid, m-nitrobenzaldehyde, 1-butanol, 2-hexanone, nonane, and cyclohexane, and the other a mixture of benzene, ethylbenzene, and styrene. Also, a qualitative analysis of a petroleum refinery desalter water is presented.