Identifying Sources of Hydrocarbons

Distinguishing between different sources of hydrocarbons including alkanes and PAHs for example, is of fundamental importance for source 

PAFIs and their alkylated derivatives are also used to distinguish between pyrolytic and petrogenic inputs to sediments and soils and are often used in conjunction with aliphatic indices to discriminate hydrocarbon sources. The lower molecular weight 2- to 4-ringed PAHs and their alkylated versions comprise a small, but significant, component of crude oils and liquid fuels. Ratios of parent PAHs (non-alkylated) as well as parent to alkylated versions are frequently used to distinguish 

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