1. Novel method to identify illegal diesel fuel, I: use of adamantane or [1, 2-D2] n-tetradecane as chemical marker.
- Author
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Suzuki Y, Ishioka S, Korenaga T, and Chikaraishi Y
- Subjects
- Crime prevention & control, Japan, Adamantane analysis, Adamantane chemistry, Alkanes analysis, Alkanes chemistry, Crime legislation & jurisprudence, Gasoline analysis
- Abstract
In this study, we demonstrated a new identification method of illegal diesel fuel using adamantane (tricyclo[3,3,1,1,(3,7)]decane) or [1, 2-D(2)] n-tetradecane as a potential chemical marker instead of coumarin. In a mixing system of diesel fuel with marker-labeled kerosene, the concentration of kerosene in the mixed oil is quantitatively determined using specific ion fragments of the markers using GC/MS analysis, in which the detection limit is 12.5 ng/microl for adamantane or 7.1 ng/microl for [1, 2-D(2)] n-tetradecane. Coumarin, the currently used chemical marker, can be easily removed by sulfuric acid treatment, which is a primal cause of environmental pollution due to the illicit disposal of the strong acidic by-product. However, adamantane and [1, 2-D(2)] n-tetradecane cannot be removed by sulfuric acid treatment. Thus, although the detection limit of adamantane and [1, 2-D(2)] n-tetradecane is higher by approximately one or two orders of magnitude than that of coumarin, they cannot be removed by sulfuric acid treatment. Therefore, adamantane and [1, 2-D(2)] n-tetradecane are strong candidates as potential markers instead of coumarin, leading to the prevention of the production of illegal diesel fuel and a reduction in environmental pollution.
- Published
- 2006