Oil Fingerprinting Research Articles

Productivity and oil fingerprinting: Application of analytical chemistry in the assessment of reservoir quality

The ability to understand and possibly even predict the productivity of wells across a field is an important accomplishment in a production setting. In the tight Lower Cretaceous chalk field Valdemar, 5 wells have been observed to produce significantly larger oil volumes compared to nearby wells. This study was conducted to map the inter-well differences in the oil composition to better understand the productivity differences. This was done by analyzing any chemical differences of 21 samples from 16 different wells by GC-MS and principal component analysis of summed extracted ion chromatograms (SICs) using the chemometric analysis of selected ion chromatograms (CHEMSIC) method. The sterane (m/z 217 and m/z 218) and C4 (m/z 234) biomarker SICs were found to have chemically meaningful features described by principal component 1 (PC1). The association between these markers and the relative production was modeled to provide a better understanding of the productivity of the different wells. A correlation between oil saturation and productivity was established in the sense that the more mature and thus less viscous oil seem to have charged certain favorably placed reservoir sections first; these locations coincide with the location of the 5 wells in question.

Comparison of chromatographic profiles of essential oils in extracts of 13 species from Lamiaceae family

The TLC essential oils profiles were being used conventionally for identification of herbal raw materials (HRM) of Lamiaceae family. Despite this, in recent years the European Pharmacopoeia to call in question the appropriateness of TLC on essential oils determination of Thyme and Wild Thyme, as well as Peppermint and Peppermint dry extract; these methods were replaced by HPTLC using flavonoid profile. This work aimed to establish the possibility of conducting HPTLC identification of methanolic extracts of 13 members of the Lamiaceae family in harmonized chromatographic conditions using chromatographic profiles on essential oils.
 The objects were methanolic extracts of HRM of Ukraine flora – Salvia officinalis, Salvia aethiopis, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Rosmarinus officinalis, Ocimum tenuiflorum (foreign origin), Mentha × piperita, Melissa officinalis, Orthosiphon stamineus, Agastache foeniculum, Leonurus cardiaca, Hyssopus officinalis, Marrubium vulgare, prepared from HRM that were purchased in Ukraine. The study wоas done by standardized HPTLC procedure using automatic HPTLC herbal system of CAMAG, Switzerland, at the base of CAMAG laboratory, Muttenz, Switzerland, and laboratory of ESTCCTI ESIPP, NUPh, Ukraine. Chromatography conditions: stationary phase – HPTLC plates Si 60 F254; mobile phase – toluene-ethylacetate (95:5); reference standards – borneol, bornyl acetate, cineole; derivatization – anisaldehyde reagent; detection: WRT, 254, 366 nm – before derivatization; WRT, 366 nm – after derivatization; sample preparation – methanolic extracts (100 mg/ml), extracted by shaking technique.
 In unified chromatographic conditions the HPTLC chromatographic fingerprints of essential oils of 13 Lamiaceae family species were established and evaluated. The most specific, intensive and reproducible HPTLC fingerprints were for Sage and Rosemary extracts. Moreover, fingerprints of Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Origanum, Ocimum and Peppermint shown specific zones useful for differentiation of different genera of Lamiaceae family. For setting relative acceptance criteria for each of the species the validation for specific zones that were detected should be done.

Flash Gas Chromatography in Tandem with Chemometrics: A Rapid Screening Tool for Quality Grades of Virgin Olive Oils.

This research aims to develop a classification model based on untargeted elaboration of volatile fraction fingerprints of virgin olive oils (n = 331) analyzed by flash gas chromatography to predict the commercial category of samples (extra virgin olive oil, EVOO; virgin olive oil, VOO; lampante olive oil, LOO). The raw data related to volatile profiles were considered as independent variables, while the quality grades provided by sensory assessment were defined as a reference parameter. This data matrix was elaborated using the linear technique partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), applying, in sequence, two sequential classification models with two categories (EVOO vs. no-EVOO followed by VOO vs. LOO and LOO vs. no-LOO followed by VOO vs. EVOO). The results from this large set of samples provide satisfactory percentages of correctly classified samples, ranging from 72% to 85%, in external validation. This confirms the reliability of this approach in rapid screening of quality grades and that it represents a valid solution for supporting sensory panels, increasing the efficiency of the controls, and also applicable to the industrial sector.

Hydrocarbon migration pathway and methane budget for a Gulf of Mexico natural seep site: Green Canyon 600

Hydrocarbon seeps occur worldwide along continental margins and act as conduits for fluid discharge from the lithosphere to the overlying hydrosphere/atmosphere. The dynamics and rates of hydrocarbon release at cold seeps remain poorly constrained. Seepage enables a variety of processes that alter the seafloor morphology and affect the geochemistry of substrata, supporting diverse and important chemosynthetic communities. Here we merge complementary geochemical (oil fingerprinting), geophysical (deep seismic, subbottom, backscatter, multibeam) and video/imaging (Video Time Lapse Camera, DSV ALVIN video, ROV video, AUV photo surveys) data sets to constrain the pathways and magnitudes of methane fluxes from the source reservoir to the seafloor at a well-studied, prolific seep site, Green Canyon (GC) 600 in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Oil samples from the reservoir, an active vent, and the sea-surface showed compositional similarities consistent with the plumbing system structure identified in seismic data. Spatial distribution of seep indicators such as bacterial mats, microbial communities, methane derived carbonates, and hydrate outcrops, were then used to quantify the total magnitude of methane potentially sequestered in the study domain. Using a systems approach, we combined published values for methane fluxes with data we collected across various scales and resolutions to compile a methane budget for GC600. The system considered for the methane budget is defined as the movement of methane from the salt ridge to the seafloor-water interface for each seep domain, Birthday Candles and Mega Plume. Total estimated input of methane was 2.8×108–2.2×109 mol/yr in the Birthday Candles domain, and 2.7×108–2.3×109 in the Mega Plume domain. The combined total output of the system ranged from 3.2×105–8.2×105 and 3.2×106–5.2×106 mol/yr respectively for Birthday Candles and Mega Plume domains, leaving a potential surplus (input minus output) of 2.6×108–2.3×109 mol/yr. Processes that could balance this budget include accumulation of gas hydrate and sediment free-gas, and the underestimated potential of biological sinks such as methane oxidation.

Evaluation of oil fingerprints similarity by a novel technique based on FTIR spectroscopy of asphaltenes: Modified moving window correlation coefficient technique

Investigation of oil fingerprints heterogeneities in different wells across the reservoir is a critical effort in various disciplines of geochemical studies. Exploring new, trustworthy, and straightforward techniques is an ongoing and interesting subject in the oil industry. In this paper, a novel procedure for oil fingerprints comparison by employing the structural characteristics of asphaltenes is suggested. For the first time, the modified version of the moving window correlation coefficient is proposed to resolve the drawbacks of the standard procedure and then implementing for comparison of oil fingerprints. This procedure is based on peak ratios calculated from the second derivative FTIR spectra of asphaltene samples. The results of this technique are summarized in a matrix with green, red and yellow cells based on the calculated values of the minimum correlation coefficient in all moving windows (MMWR) and the average of correlation coefficients in all moving windows (AMWR) regarding defined thresholds to better visualization of fingerprint similarity or dissimilarity between studied samples. The oil fingerprint similarities in the two case studies from the Dezful Embayment of southwest Iran were investigated to demonstrate the usefulness of this technique. Ten samples from different wells in the Qale Nar oil field and eight samples from the Shadegan oil field were studied. Results showed that crude oils in the Asmari reservoir from the Qale Nar field have a similar fingerprint and are homogenous. But crude oils in the Asmari reservoir from the Shadegan field involves several zones based on oil fingerprints similarity. Whole oil gas chromatography (WOGC) was performed for checking purposes. The proposed method based on FTIR spectra of asphaltene samples and their comparison with the modified moving window correlation coefficient can be regarded as a novel, reliable, and straightforward technique for oil fingerprint similarity assessment.

Fingerprinting of the Unsaponifiable Fraction of Vegetable Oils by Using Cryogenically-Modulated Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

The present research is focused on the development of a cryogenically modulated (CM) comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-HR ToFMS) method for the in-depth profiling of the unsaponifiable fraction of vegetable oils. Specifically, twelve vegetable oils (9 extra-virgin olive, soybean, peanut, and hazelnut oils) were subjected to analysis, with particular attention devoted to the higher molecular weight constituents (sterols, vitamin E, triterpenic alcohols). Peak assignment was carried out by using commercial unit-mass MS databases, accurate mass data, literature and on-line freely-available mass spectral information, as well as an in-lab-constructed HR ToFMS lipid database. The main objective of the work was to develop a method to define a well-characterized extra-virgin olive oil fingerprint, to be potentially exploited for vegetable oil differentiation. An additional objective of the investigation was to evaluate the performance of the HR ToFMS system (operated at a mass resolution of 25,000 FWHM) under the challenging analytical conditions of a CM GC × GC-based experiment. The HR ToFMS accurate-mass lipid database was (previously) constructed by acquiring, for the main part, the mass spectra of vegetable oil constituents, well-separated from both the matrix and column bleed background.

Gas purge micro solvent extraction: A rapid and powerful tool for essential oil chromatographic fingerprints

In this work, a new an innovative micro liquid extraction technique named “gas purge micro solvent extraction” (GP-MSE) have been tested, hyphenated with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), to evaluate its capability to extract volatile fractions from vegetal samples respect to classical steam distillation extraction procedure, by comparing essential oil fingerprints from three different Atractylodes species. GP-MSE showed higher extraction capabilities and sensitivities (in particular for semi-volatile components), obtaining more structured essential oil fingerprints with high reliabilities (relative standard deviation of the peak areas between 0.34% and 5.83%), requiring at the same time smaller sample amounts and reduced extraction times. Essential oil profile data were also submitted to principal component analysis and included cosine angle in order to highlight differences among the Atractylodes species under investigation. GP-MSE can be considered an alternative, simple, fast, sensitive and environmentally friendly extraction method, with high extraction efficiencies and reproducibility toward both volatile and semi-volatile compounds.

Field and laboratory investigation of tarmat deposits found on Ras Rakan Island and northern beaches of Qatar

Beaches of Ras Rakan Island, located off the northern tip of Qatar, are extensively contaminated by highly weathered tarmat deposits. The focus of this study is to determine the possible source of the contamination and complete a preliminary assessment of its potential environmental impacts. The field data collected at this site indicated that the tarmat residues contained highly weathered, black, asphalt-like material and the contamination problem was widespread. Based on these field observations, the following two hypotheses were formulated: (1) the tarmats must have formed from the residual oil deposited by a relatively large, regional-scale oil spill event, and (2) the oil spill must be relatively old. As part of this study, we collected tarmat residues from several beaches located along the northern region of Qatar Peninsula. We found the hopane fingerprints of these tarmat samples were identical to the fingerprints of the samples collected from Ras Rakan Island. These results together with our physical field observational data validated our hypothesis that the oil spill should have been a regional-scale event. Furthermore, we compared the measured hopane fingerprints of our field samples with fingerprints of reference crude oils from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Basrah (located close to Kuwait border), and with the literature-derived hopane fingerprints of Kuwaiti and Iranian crude oils. This analysis indicated that the hopane fingerprints of the tarmat samples closely matched the Kuwaiti and Basrah crude oil fingerprints. Since there were no known oil spills of Basrah crude in this region, the highly weathered, asphalt-looking tarmats should have most likely formed from the 1991 Gulf War oil spill, an old oil spill. The concentrations of parent and alkylated PAHs in the tarmat samples were also quantified to provide a preliminary assessment of potential environmental risks posed by these tarmats to Qatar's coastal ecosystem.

Effects of boron toxicity on growth, oxidative damage, antioxidant enzymes and essential oil fingerprinting in Mentha arvensis and Cymbopogon flexuosus

BackgroundBoron (B) is an essential micronutrient and necessary to plants for their proper growth. The concentration of B in soil and plant is greatly critical for the growth and productivity. Even at the low amount available in soils, B can be extremely toxic to plants especially in semi-arid and arid environments. In the present study, the effects of high B concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg) were elucidated on two important essential oil-bearing plants; Mentha arvensis and Cymbopogon flexuosus which are aromatic and antimicrobial herbs having well-known medicinal values.ResultsApplication of different concentrations of B showed growth inhibitory effects on plant as evident by shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry weights of shoot in the studied plants. Treatments of B also reduced the total chlorophyll and carotenoid content, chlorophyll fluorescence and reduced the activities of carbonic anhydrase and nitrate reductase enzymes. Moreover, B stress considerably increased the proline content and lipid peroxide content as compared to control. The activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also significantly increased under B stress. The content of essential oil of M. arvensis and C. flexuosus increased at 2.5 mg/kg of B and decreased with further increase in concentrations of B.ConclusionThe findings of present work suggest that increasing concentrations of B inhibited growth and photosynthetic pigments, increased oxidative damage and activities of antioxidant enzymes; however, a mild stress of B increased essential oil production in M. arvensis and C. flexuosus plants.

GC\u2009\xd7\u2009GC\u2013HRMS nontarget fingerprinting of organic micropollutants in urban freshwater sediments

BackgroundSediments are sinks for organic micropollutants, which are traditionally analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Although GC–MS and GC–tandem MS (MS/MS) are preferred for target screening, they provide only limited chromatographic resolution for nontarget screening. In this study, a comprehensive two-dimensional GC–high-resolution MS method (GC × GC–HRMS) was developed for nontarget screening and source identification of organic micropollutants in sediments from an urban channel and adjacent lake in Copenhagen, Denmark. The GC × GC–HRMS data were processed by pixel-based chemometric analysis using baseline subtraction, alignment, normalisation, and scaling before principal component analysis (PCA) of the pre-processed GC × GC–HRMS base peak ion chromatograms (BPCs). The analysis was performed to identify organic micropollutants of high abundance and relevance in the urban sediments and to identify pollution sources. Tentative identifications were based on match factors and retention indices and tagged according to the level of identification confidence.ResultsThe channel contained both a significantly higher abundance of micropollutants and a higher diversity of compounds compared to the lake. The PCA models were able to isolate distinct sources of chemicals such as a natural input (viz., a high relative abundance of mono-, di- and sesquiterpenes) and a weathered oil fingerprint (viz., alkanes, naphthenes and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). A dilution effect of the weathered oil fingerprint was observed in lake samples that were close to the channel. Several benzothiazole-like structures were identified in lake samples close to a high-traffic road which could indicate a significant input from asphalt or tire wear particles. In total, 104 compounds and compound groups were identified.ConclusionsSeveral chemical fingerprints of different sources were described in urban freshwater sediments in Copenhagen using a pixel-based chemometric approach of GC × GC–HRMS BPCs. Various micropollutants of anthropogenic origin were identified. Tailored pre-processing and careful interpretation of the identification results is inevitable and still requires further research for an automated workflow.

Chemical Fingerprinting of Conifer Needle Essential Oils and Solvent Extracts by Ultrahigh-Resolution Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry.

Extractives are an important class of compounds in plants because they contribute to many of their physicochemical properties such as color, odor, density, strength, permeability, and hygroscopicity. Moreover, they also possess significant biological activity and are thus an important part of the plants’ defense mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stresses. Tree needles are a rich source of extractives, counting for as much as 40% of their dry weight. In this study, chemical fingerprinting of essential oils and solvent extracts, obtained from the needles of four conifer tree species (i.e., pine, spruce, larch, and juniper), was performed by using ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry. A wide variety of compounds were detected in the oil samples, including mono-, sesqui-, and diterpenes, terpenoids, fatty and resin acids, esters, and different phenolic compounds. Although the main compounds were present in all the four essential oil samples, large variations in their relative abundances were observed. In contrast, pine needle hexane and toluene extracts showed a high content of resin acids, including pinifolic acid, a rare labdane-type diterpene diacid, and its mono- and dimethyl esters. Thus, by selecting a suitable solvent, specific types of compounds may be isolated from tree needles for further biotechnological or medicinal applications.

Post-well stimulation allocation of commingled production using geochemical fingerprinting techniques in unconventional reservoirs: A review of methods, and a case study of the Montney Formation, Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

The methods used in allocating commingled production in conventional reservoirs are similar to those that are effective in performing the same task on unconventional reservoirs. However, the protocols to follow can vary a great deal. The presence of distinct endmembers in the former allows the use of the method of production allocation using peak height ratios and mixing curves and using linear regression of peak heights. Due to the possible contribution from multiple intervals in the same formation or even from different formations as in the case of fracture stimulated unconventional reservoirs, the combined application of methods that compare the quantities and carbon stable isotopes of selected compounds (such as saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons) and other parameters (such as API gravity) was employed. This was done based on a series of samples presumed to represent the endmembers via their HRGC and GCMS oil fingerprint, followed by the determination of the contribution from each sample by using an algebraic solution of simultaneous linear equations. A review of the two methods is provided.The aforementioned method for unconventional resources is demonstrated in a case study of production allocation that was performed on three produced oils sampled at different times from three separate wells, “A” “C”, and “D”, located in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. A total of 25 core extract samples representing two producing zones (end members) of the Montney Formation (i.e., the Middle and the Lower Montney) from well “A” and “B” were used. Results of GC and GCMS analyses of the samples were evaluated; rigorous filters, cluster analysis (dendrograms), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were applied to identify any clustering or variation between the samples representing possible contributor layers and the commingled oil. Then, using proprietary software and statistical techniques, the fingerprint of selected compounds was qualitatively compared and their quantity in each of the rock extracts and the produced oils was determined in order to allocate the contribution from the two end members that each extract belongs to.Results from the method for unconventional resources were compared to other data (such as GC trace patterns) for consistency. The case study demonstrates that a combined approach that accounts for the entire fingerprint (i.e., GC and molecular markers (including biomarker and non-biomarker parameters)), produces the best results and minimizes uncertainty.

Assessment of evaporative and photochemical effects on asphaltene profiling of a heavy fuel oil

Oil fingerprinting is concerned with determining the chemical profile of a spilled oil to determine its origin, whether that be a vessel, well or other source. Asphaltenes are typically discarded in this process even though they are considered refractory in comparison to the volatile fraction and have the ability to provide valuable information in oil fingerprinting. A heavy fuel oil was exposed to evaporative and photochemical conditions to determine if the asphaltene fraction and asphaltene profiling were influenced by weathering. It was found that although evaporative weathering had a strong effect on the volatile fraction of the oil, it had no influence on the asphaltene fraction, and profiling of the asphaltene fraction using previously published methods was still possible. When the oil was exposed to photo-oxidative conditions using natural sunlight, the mass of the asphaltene fraction increased significantly. Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) analysis demonstrated that the oxygen level in the asphaltene fraction also increased with photochemical weathering compared to evaporative weathering alone. Even though the asphaltene fraction changed under photo-oxidative conditions, it could still be used for source determination using previously published ATR-FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS methods for profiling of the asphaltene fraction.

Chemical Fingerprinting of Olive Oils by Electrospray Ionization-Differential Mobility Analysis-Mass Spectrometry: A New Alternative to Food Authenticity Testing.

Recently, the olive oil industry has been the subject of harsh criticism for false labeling and even adulterating olive oils. This situation in which both the industry and the population are affected leads to an urgent need to increase controls to avoid fraudulent activities around this precious product. The aim of this work is to propose a new analytical platform by coupling electrospray ionization (ESI), differential mobility analysis (DMA), and mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of olive oils based on the information obtained from the chemical fingerprint (nontargeted analyses). Regarding the sample preparation, two approaches were proposed: (i) sample dilution and (ii) liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, 30 olive oil samples in 3 different categories were analyzed, using 21 of them to elaborate the classification model and the remaining 9 to test it (blind samples). To develop the prediction model, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used. The overall success rate of the classification to differentiate among extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), virgin olive oil (VOO), and lampante olive oil (LOO) was 89% for the LLE samples and 67% for the diluted samples. However, combining both methods, the ability to differentiate EVOO from lower-quality oils (VOO and LOO) and the edible oils (EVOO and VOO) from nonedible oil (LOO) was 100%. The results show that ESI-DMA-MS can become an effective tool for the olive oil sector.

Chromatographic Fingerprinting of Artemisia vulgaris L. Grown in Various Locations of Uttarakhand Himalaya, India

The present study aims to investigate the chromatographic fingerprinting of the essential oils of Artemisia vulgaris L. growing wild in Kumaon and Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The aerial parts were harvested in full flowering time from twenty two locations at the altitudes between 627-2793 m. The essential oils from aerial parts were isolated by hydro-distillation through a Clevenger apparatus and analysed by GC and GC/MS for the identification of their chemical composition. Chromatographic analysis has shown that all the essential oils of A. vulgaris were dominated by varied composition and chrysanthenone (0.1-26.6 %), vulgarole (0.1-20.6 %), artemisia ketone (0.01-19.8 %), α-thujone (0.01-19.0 %), 1,8-cineole (1.6-13.5 %), β-thujone (0.2-13.2 %), caryophyllene oxide (1.4-11.2 %) and camphor (0.9-11.1 %). Hierarchical cluster and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to study the chemical variability among populations which showed three major groups. Group-1 having A17, A38, A42, A46 and A56 populations, was possessed vulgarole (7.6-20.6 %) in higher amount followed by γ-eudesmol (4.9-9.2 %), camphor (1.4-10.0 %), 1,8-cineole (1.6-8.9 %) and camphene (1.3-7.5 %). In group 2 (A52, A60), artemisia ketone was found in major portions (18.9-19.8 %) followed by 1,8-cineole (2.6-13.5 %) and artemisia alcohol (1.8-8.6 %), while group 3 (A6, A9, A13, A33, A44, A48, A51, A58, A61, A65, A66, A69, A71, A74, and A75 populations) contained chrysanthenone (1.9-26.6 %) as the marker compound followed by α-thujone (0.03-19.0 %) and β-thujone (2.2-13.2 %). The results proved that various chemical groups or chemotypes of A. vulgaris are available in Uttarakhand region, India.

Geochemical characterization of the Upper Mississippian Goddard Formation, Noble Ranch Group, and related oils in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma

The Woodford Shale is anecdotally assumed to be the major source of oil for plays in the Anadarko Basin, including the stacked oil and condensate play in the southcentral Oklahoma oil province (SCOOP). However, there is little published geochemical work to confirm this assumption. This study set out to identify a characteristic geochemical fingerprint for the Goddard Formation, another potential source rock in the SCOOP, to determine if the Goddard is contributing to oil accumulations within the SCOOP. The Upper Mississippian Goddard Formation has been a target for unconventional production in SCOOP since 2012. Published geochemical interpretations for the Goddard Formation are still limited, and this study represents the first detailed oil–source rock correlation for the Goddard in the SCOOP area. The most characteristic geochemical signature of the Goddard extracts is a predominance of tricyclic terpanes relative to the hopanes in the mass-to-charge ratio 191 chromatogram, possibly related to enrichment via thermal stress or a unique source signature. Additional distinctive signatures were also identified for the triaromatic steroid hydrocarbons, sesquiterpenoids, and steranes. The biomarker fingerprints of SCOOP oils are nearly identical with those of the Goddard extracts in this study. Oils in the SCOOP, therefore, appear to originate from a Mississippian source, such as the Goddard rather than the Woodford. This observation demonstrates the value of oil–source rock correlation studies and suggests that there may be effective source rocks in the Anadarko Basin that have been overlooked in the past and should be re-evaluated in detail.

Isolation of Essential Oils from Essential Roots (Vetiveria zizanoides L.) with Preparation Using Liquid Nitrogen

Fragrant root oil production can be done by various methods including distillation, pressing, extraction using solvents and extraction using solid fat. Efforts to increase the production of quality fragrant root oil before the extraction process carried out 2 treatments on the sample, namely chopping and preparation using liquid nitrogen. Research that has been carried out sample preparation using N2 (l) has proven to be effective in increasing oil yield. In fresh samples, the yield of oil obtained from the steam-hydro distillation method is 0.84% (variation 1) and 1.2% (variation 2) while for the socletation method is 1% (variation 1) and 2.4% ( variation 2). From the results of GC-MS analysis, the fragrant root oil of the dry sample was identified as composed of 68 components and there were 2 components that were suspected as oil fingerprints namely khusimene (4.44%) and nootkatone (2.02%)

Biodegradation, Photo-oxidation, and Dissolution of Petroleum Compounds in an Arctic Fjord during Summer.

Increased economic activity in the Arctic may increase the risk of oil spills. Yet, little is known about the degradation of oil spills by solar radiation and the impact of nutrient limitation on oil biodegradation under Arctic conditions. We deployed adsorbents coated with thin oil films for up to 4 months in a fjord in SW Greenland to simulate and investigate in situ biodegradation and photo-oxidation of dispersed oil droplets. Oil compound depletion by dissolution, biodegradation, and photo-oxidation was untangled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based oil fingerprinting. Biodegradation was limited by low nutrient concentrations, reaching 97% removal of nC13-26-alkanes only after 112 days. Sequencing of bacterial DNA showed the slow development of a bacterial biofilm on the oil films predominated by the known oil degrading bacteria Oleispira, Alkanindiges and Cycloclasticus. These taxa could be related to biodegradation of shorter-chain (≤C26) alkanes, longer-chain (≥C16) and branched alkanes, and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), respectively. The combination of biodegradation, dissolution, and photo-oxidation depleted most PACs at substantially faster rates than the biodegradation of alkanes. In Arctic fjords during summer, nutrient limitation may severely delay oil biodegradation, but in the photic zone, photolytic transformation of PACs may play an important role.

Oil pollution in the Eastern Arabian Sea from invisible sources: A multi-technique approach

The Eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) is affected by oil pollution, as often evidenced by the presence of tarballs along the West Coast of India (WCI). Tarball samples collected during May 2017 along the Goa coast were subject to biomarker fingerprints, and the results matched with Bombay High (BH) oil fingerprints. The present study primarily aims at identifying the potential minor spill areas using Sentinel-imagery. Interestingly, repeated occurrence of oil spills detected at two locations, perfectly matched with BH platforms. The simulated Lagrangian trajectories also depict that tarball particles have originated from those detected locations. In 2017 alone, the quantity of spilled oil was estimated to be 129,392 l. However, spills detected offshore regions of Kachchh and Mangalore were found to be caused by ships. This is the first comprehensive study, tracking the oil pollution sources in the EAS through multi-technique approach - chemical, remote sensing and numerical modeling.

Correlation between VOC fingerprinting and antimicrobial activity of several essential oils extracted by plant resins against A. tumefaciens and P. savastanoi

AbstractThe present work aimed to assess the antimicrobial activity of twelve essential oils extracted from plant resins of trees that grow in several tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Eleven essential oils were extracted from resins of plant belonging to the Burseraceae family (the genera Boswellia, Commiphora, Canarium and Bursera); the remaining oil was extracted from a resinous plant belonging to the Fabaceae family (genus Hymenea). The extraction was carried out using a conventional distillation method. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of each essential oil were analyzed with PTR‐ToF‐MS (proton transfer reaction time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry) and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against the phytopathogens Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi. The essential oils obtained from Boswellia papyrifera, B. dalzielii, B. frereana and B. rivae were the most abundant in terms of signal intensity and VOC number in comparison with the other analyzed essential oils. Furthermore, B. neglecta shared a common volatile profile with the Canarium species, as was demonstrated previously in the literature. Greater bacterial growth inhibition of A. tumefaciens was detected with the essential oils extracted from plants belonging to Boswellia species while less action was observed against P. savastanoi. Finally, a positive correlation was found between terpenes and terpenoid compounds and bacterial growth inhibition, suggesting these essential oils as a new source of bioactive compounds for the prevention, protection and treatment of plant diseases.