Analysis of water soluble fractions of crude oil by gas chromatography: Mass spectroscopy [Mass Spectrometry - Metabolomics Facility]

Crude oil is the major source of energy in the modern society to meet the global energy demand by which exploitation of crude oil and its transportation increasing rapidly leading to frequent catastrophic oil spills. When oil spill occurs or when oil is discharged into aquatic environment the components of the crude oil present in it are mostly volatile, evaporates into the environment and the fraction of the oil soluble in water (i.e., WSF) is available to the organisms directly which is the main determinant of crude oil toxicity to aquatic organisms. Although this fraction is present only in relatively low concentrations, it is this fraction which is in most intimate contact with fish and other pelagic organisms with carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. So, the aim of the study was to determine different hydrocarbons dissolved in water soluble fraction (WSF) of crude oil qualitatively and quantitatively. The determination of different hydrocarbons present in water soluble fraction of crude oil can be used as reference point for many studies in future for determining the toxicity of water soluble fraction of crude oil to fishes.