Some Applications of Computerized GC-MS to the Determination of Biogenic and Anthropogenic Organic Matter in the Environmentt

This is an overview of the application of organic mass spectrometry and ancillary techniques to the analysis of organic matter in environmental research. Such organic matter is usually analyzed in terms of gas, bitumen (lipids), and “kerogen”, with asphaltenes and humic substances for some samples. This approach is illustrated with some examples and the origin, the environmental history and the nature of secondary products of this organic matter can be evaluated by using the data derived from both specific molecular and bulk chemical (also physical) analyses. Evaluations of production and fluxes and cross-correlations can thus be made by the application of the same separation and analytical procedures to samples from different environmental compartments (eg., biota, atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, etc.).