253
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. A. Murawski et al. (eds.), Deep Oil Spills,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_15
Chapter 15
Applications of FTICR-MS in Oil Spill
Studies
Jagoš R. Radović, Aprami Jaggi, Renzo C. Silva, Ryan Snowdon,
Derek C. Waggoner, Patrick G. Hatcher, Stephen R. Larter,
and Thomas B. P. Oldenburg
Abstract During the past decade, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass
spectrometry (FTICR-MS) has been established as a technique of choice for the
comprehensive chemical assessment of some of the most complex organic mixtures, such as petroleum, or dissolved organic matter. In the aftermath of the
Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout, FTICR-MS demonstrated its applicability for
the characterization of oil spill residues produced by abiotic weathering, such as
photooxidation, and/or microbial processes and interactions, for example, marine
oil snow aggregation. Such residues are abundant in high molecular weight, polar,
and heteroatom-bearing chemical species, which cannot be analyzed by the typical
oil spill forensics tools such as gas chromatography. Therefore, the expansion of the
analytical window afforded by FTICR-MS is crucial for the monitoring and understanding of long-term oil spill fate. Furthermore, capability of FTICR-MS to characterize non-hydrocarbon petroleum fractions will be very important in the case of
potential future spills of heavy, unconventional oils, such as bitumen.
Keywords FTICR-MS · Oil spills · Deepwater Horizon · Biomarkers · MOSSFA
15.1 Introduction
Since the inception of organic (bio)geochemistry, fundamental discoveries in this
area have been, to a large degree, driven by the advances in the instrumental analytical technologies. Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, carbon isotopic
J. R. Radović (*) · A. Jaggi · R. C. Silva · R. Snowdon · S. R. Larter · T. B. P. Oldenburg
University of Calgary, PRG, Department of Geoscience, Calgary, AB, Canada
e-mail: Jagos.Radovic@ucalgary.ca; aprami.jaggi@ucalgary.ca; rcsilva@ucalgary.ca;
rwsnowdo@ucalgary.ca; slarter@ucalgary.ca; toldenbu@ucalgary.ca
D. C. Waggoner · P. G. Hatcher
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
e-mail: dwagg002@odu.edu; PHatcher@odu.edu
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. A. Murawski et al. (eds.), Deep Oil Spills,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_15
Chapter 15
Applications of FTICR-MS in Oil Spill
Studies
Jagoš R. Radović, Aprami Jaggi, Renzo C. Silva, Ryan Snowdon,
Derek C. Waggoner, Patrick G. Hatcher, Stephen R. Larter,
and Thomas B. P. Oldenburg
Abstract During the past decade, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass
spectrometry (FTICR-MS) has been established as a technique of choice for the
comprehensive chemical assessment of some of the most complex organic mixtures, such as petroleum, or dissolved organic matter. In the aftermath of the
Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout, FTICR-MS demonstrated its applicability for
the characterization of oil spill residues produced by abiotic weathering, such as
photooxidation, and/or microbial processes and interactions, for example, marine
oil snow aggregation. Such residues are abundant in high molecular weight, polar,
and heteroatom-bearing chemical species, which cannot be analyzed by the typical
oil spill forensics tools such as gas chromatography. Therefore, the expansion of the
analytical window afforded by FTICR-MS is crucial for the monitoring and understanding of long-term oil spill fate. Furthermore, capability of FTICR-MS to characterize non-hydrocarbon petroleum fractions will be very important in the case of
potential future spills of heavy, unconventional oils, such as bitumen.
Keywords FTICR-MS · Oil spills · Deepwater Horizon · Biomarkers · MOSSFA
15.1 Introduction
Since the inception of organic (bio)geochemistry, fundamental discoveries in this
area have been, to a large degree, driven by the advances in the instrumental analytical technologies. Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, carbon isotopic
J. R. Radović (*) · A. Jaggi · R. C. Silva · R. Snowdon · S. R. Larter · T. B. P. Oldenburg
University of Calgary, PRG, Department of Geoscience, Calgary, AB, Canada
e-mail: Jagos.Radovic@ucalgary.ca; aprami.jaggi@ucalgary.ca; rcsilva@ucalgary.ca;
rwsnowdo@ucalgary.ca; slarter@ucalgary.ca; toldenbu@ucalgary.ca
D. C. Waggoner · P. G. Hatcher
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
e-mail: dwagg002@odu.edu; PHatcher@odu.edu