Public Lab Research note


Oil testing Kit: Collection of Samples from Pavement, Boqueron Puerto Rico

by ernestootero | October 25, 2015 18:17 25 Oct 18:17 | #12334 | #12334

Collection of Unknown Samples I decided to test paved areas showing residues from cars. I did that in areas near a coastal town of Boquerón, PR. 4 samples were collected, one of them a blank from pavement that did not show traces of oil. See Map.

MAP_final.jpg

I used Q-tips and a small amount of mineral oil (MO) for human consumption (no additives on the label). I added ca. 1mL of the MO to the residues on the pavement and recovered as much as possible of it swabbing the Q-tip and squeezing the cotton on the inner surface of the vial.

pavement_and_residue.png

Different levels of color were recovered and basically none in the pavement blank. Mineral oil was added to all samples to achieve a similar volume.

Colored_samples_and_labels.png

SINCE FLUOROMETRY IS VERY SENSITIVE TO TURBIDITY AND PARTICLES, I WILL WAIT FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE ANALYSIS. IF IT DOES NOT WORK, THEN SOME SORT OF SIMPLE FILTRATION/CENTRIFUGACION METHODS MIGHT BE NEEDED. THE ADDITION OF DEHYDRATING SALTS TO REMOVE WATER FROM SOLUTION AND DECREASE TURBIDITY.

LETS SEE!


7 Comments

This is so great! I'm curious, are you able to take a motor oil source that's known, and dry it out and prepare it in a similar way, after some aging or weathering?

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Also perhaps it'd be good to test asphalt alone!

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No I have not aged any of the standards sent, but is a great idea. In terms of the asphalt, samples 4, the pavement blank, is asphalt a few meters away from sample 3 (asphalt plus oil stain). It would be worth to test a series of asphalts, new or old.

Thanks for your comments.

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Have you tried this yet?

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Unfortunately, not. I was trying to hide from work but couldn't. I intend to work on the alignment issues and standards tomorrow. Thanks.

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I am leaving on a work trip and coud not make the measurements. Only did the dilutions for the unknowns and the standards. When I com back I will troubleshoot final adjustments and conduct measurements. Hopefully 1 or 2 days of work. I have seen some of your posts in terms of adjustments of the instruments. Ill keep them in mind.

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Got back and made most of measurements. I will be simmarizing results soon.

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