Introduction to Petroleum, Hydrocarbon, and Lipid Analysis

Abstract

In nature, petroleum, hydrocarbons, and lipids typically occur as complex mixtures of structurally diverse compounds with different physical and chemical properties. Notably, the occurrence of hydrocarbons and petroleum can be regarded as one of the factors that shape the natural habitats of microorganisms. Therefore, analytical tools are required that allow the characterization of such mixtures of organic compounds in environmental samples but also for assessing processes studied in laboratory experiments. Application of the analytical techniques in the protocols detailed below allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the occurrence and abundance of petroleum, hydrocarbons, and lipids in a broad range of natural sample matrices. The protocols range from robust standard techniques towards emerging tools in environmental characterization of petroleum, hydrocarbons and lipids. Special attention is paid to methods and approaches that a useful in characterizing the diverse interactions between microbial communities and complex assemblages of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and associated non-hydrocarbons.