| abstract |
Methods and compositions for identifying petroleum products labeled with chemicals are accomplished by adding one or more chemicals to selected petroleum products. This chemical is not extracted from petroleum products by conventional inexpensive absorbents, is not removed by extraction with acids, bases or immiscible solvents, is not easily oxidized, reduced, or reacted with normal materials. In other words, it is difficult to conceal by a mask made of another substance, has a low polarity, and has a boiling point within the range of the boiling point of petroleum products. The presence of this chemical is detected using ion mobility spectrometry. |