Forensic Hydrocarbon Analysis

Understanding the hydrocarbons you’re dealing with is critical in determining your best course of action. Eurofins Environment Testing provides the analysis of your samples with unknown petroleum products.

Fingerprint TPH by GC/FID (SW-846 8015)

We analyze samples using GC/FID Method SW-846 8015B from C8-C40 to identify the extractable petroleum products in soil, water, and natural fuels and compare your sample chromatogram against our petroleum standard reference library. Your analysis report will detail the identified component(s) in your sample. We encourage you to submit a sample of the source or material so we can use it as a comparison to your samples.

Saturated Hydrocarbon [SHC] (SW-846 8015)

Eurofins utilized a GC/FID technique based on U.S. EPA Method 8015 for the determination of the total distribution of hydrocarbons from C8-C40 as well as selected isoprenoids, pristane and phytane. This qualitative methodology provides for a whole oil gas chromatographic analysis or chemical fingerprint of the samples.

PAHs, Alkylated PAHs, and Biomarker Analysis (SW-846 8270 SIM)

Some of the most important target analytes in damage assessment from petroleum products are PAHs and alkylated PAHs. Alkylated PAHs are characterized by the total number of alkyl carbon atoms present on the parent PAH compound. They are more abundant and persist for a longer time in the environment than the parent PAHs. Therefore, it is suggested that alkyl homolog concentrations should be combined with its parent concentration when performing risk assessments.

PAHs and alkylated PAHs can also be used in forensic analyses when presented as histograms that visually represent the relative target analyte concentrations for the purpose of qualitatively fingerprinting a petroleum sample. Crude oils contain primarily Alkylated PAHs and relatively small concentrations of the unsubstituted parent PAHs.

Biomarkers are complex organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and other elements that are found in petroleum. They show little to no change in structure from their parent molecules found in living organisms, are unique to each source of petroleum, and have been well documented.

Eurofins Environment Testing analyzes biomarkers including terpanes, steranes, and triaromatic steroids and provides the data in a format that can be used by petroleum experts to evaluate possible sources for the contamination. The biomarkers are often used in conjunction with other site data such as PAHs, alkylated PAHs, and alkanes to determine the source of contamination.