Solvent-free Oil-in-Water Analysis

29 September 2008 by Turner Designs Hydrocarbon Instruments

Non-ionic surfactants can homogenize oily, produced water samples, creating optically clear microemulsions that are ideal for fluorescence measurements. The use of surfactants to reduce fouling and improve the performance of on-line, fluorescence-based, oil-in-water monitors has been reported previously. This paper describes the use of surfactants to prepare discrete water samples (“grab-samples”) for analysis, eliminating the need for hazardous, organic extraction solvents.

Two methods are described. The first is designed to report the dispersed oil content of a water sample. The second is designed to report dispersed oil concentration, and to allow the user to trend the concentration of water-soluble organics (WSO). Both procedures are optimized for the TD-500D Oil-in-Water Analyzer by Turner Designs Hydrocarbon Instruments.