Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Pr
Alkylated
PAHs
A
Plant waxes
High-volatile
bituminous a coal
Hazard Bed No. 7
Perry County, KY
KY 4530
Normal
alkanes
Ph
B
Carbonized coal
Site 1
Breathitt Formation
Hazard Bed No. 7
Perry County, KY
No more
odd carbon
preference among
n
-
C
20
to
n
-
C
35
normal alkanes
Devolatilized
n
-
C
8
to
n
-
C
20
normal alkanes
C
Carbonized coal
Site 2
Breathitt Formation
Hazard Bed No. 7
Perry County, KY
Devolatilized
n
-
C
8
to
n
-
C
22
normal alkanes
D
Coal Tar
Vent 1
Breathitt Formation
Hazard Bed No. 7
Perry County, KY
Devolatilized
n
-
C
8
to
n
-
C
23
normal alkanes
E
Coal Tar
Vent 5
Breathitt Formation
Hazard Bed No. 7
Perry County, KY
Coal distillate
n
-
C
10
to
n
-
C
20
normal alkanes
Retention Time
Figure 11.4.5. Saturated hydrocarbon fingerprints (GC/MS
85) of coal and natural coal tars associated with
coal fires in the Breathitt Formation, Kentucky: (A) high-volatile bituminous coal from the Breathitt Formation
contains a homologous series of normal alkanes eluting between
m
/
z
-C
36
. The late eluting normal alkanes
exhibited a subtle odd-carbon preference indicative of geologically reformed plant waxes. The ratio of Pr/Ph
exceeded 3, (B) the partially carbonized coal bed at site 1 contains a homologous series of normal alkanes eluting
from approximately
n
-C
8
and
n
-C
20
and no odd-carbon preference among
late eluting normal alkanes, (C) the coal bed at site 2 exhibits greater loss of
n
-C
10
and
n
-C
38
with a devolatilized
n
-C
10
and
n
n
-C
10
and
n
-C
22
due to more extreme
devolatilization, (D) vent 1 coal tar exhibits greater loss of
-C
23
due to more extreme devolatilization or
evaporation at the ground surface, and (E) vent 5 resembles vent 1, except it also contains
n
-C
10
and
n
n
-C
10
and
n
-C
20
attributed to a coal-tar distillate.
