Green River formation extraction

Mueller E. and Philp R. P. (1998) Extraction of high molecular weight hydrocarbons from source rocks an example from the Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. Org. Geochem. 28, 625-631. 

The molecular characterization of methylarsonic acid, phenylarsonic acid and the inorganic anion, arsenate, found in a methanol extract of a Green River Formation Oil shale sample was accomplished by HPLC-GFAA analysis In addition, derivatization of the acids, HPLC purified, by reaction with 3-methylcatechol to form the five coordinate organoarsenic catecholates as well as reaction, via trimethylsilylation, of the ammonium salt of arsenate to form tristrimethylsilylarsenate was followed by GC-EIMS analysis to provide unequivocal evidence for the presence of these organometallic and inorganic compounds of arsenic as natural products in oil shale ... 

Methanol Extract of Green River Formation Oil Shale... 

Figure 1. The HPLC-graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) analysis of Green River Formation oil shale extracted with refluxing methanol...

FIGURE 26. GC profiles of (a) bitumen of the Green River formation sample as extracted, (PHC) denotes perhydrogenated carotene and (b) hydrocarbons formed by pyrolysis at high temperature, in the presence of H2O. Both were analysed on the same column (30m SE 30 FSCOT)... 

Upon exposure of the shales to liquid SO2, highly colored solutions develop due to formation of donor-acceptor complexes between extracted oil constituents and the SO2. Green River shale produces red-brown solutions, Moroccan shale forms orange solutions, and Antrim shale forms yellow solutions in each case, these colors are more intense when higher processing temperatures are used. 

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