Chemical markers

Abstract

A composition containing a petroleum hydrocarbon, a biodiesel fuel or an ethanol fuel, and an organic marker compound.

Description

Claims

1. A composition comprising: (a) at least one of a petroleum hydrocarbon, a biodiesel fuel and an ethanol fuel; and(b) at least one organic compound having: (i) an axis of three-fold symmetry; (ii) a nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus or boron content of at least 3%; and (iii) a molecular weight of at least 240.

2. The composition of claim 1 in which each said at least one organic compound is present at a level of at least 0.01 ppm and no more than 50 ppm.

3. The composition of claim 2 in which said at least one organic compound contains an essentially planar six-membered ring having an axis of three-fold symmetry.

4. The composition of claim 3 in which said at least one organic compound contains at least 8% nitrogen, said nitrogen is present only as part of amino or amide groups, and the six-membered ring is a cyanurate, isocyanurate or 1,2,4-triazine ring.

5. The composition of claim 4 in which said at least one organic compound contains at least three tertiary-butyl groups.

6. The composition of claim 2 in which said at least one organic compound has formula X(G)3; wherein X is a non-metallic atom allowing three symmetrical substituents, or group of 2-18 non-metallic atoms having a non-metallic atom allowing three symmetrical substituents; and G is an organic substituent having one to twenty-two carbon atoms.

7. The composition of claim 6 in which X is N, P, P—O, B, Bi, CR, SiR or CCO2H; wherein R is alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl, aryl, aralkyl or heterocyclic; and G is aryl or heterocyclic.

8. The composition of claim 7 in which X is N, P, P—O or B; G is aryl; and the nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus or boron content is at least 4%.

9. A method of detecting said at least one organic compound of claim 1; said method comprising analyzing a sample of the petroleum hydrocarbon, biodiesel fuel or ethanol fuel using a chromatographic technique followed by at least one of: (i) mass spectral analysis, (ii) FTIR and (iii) specific detection of at least one of boron, nitrogen and phosphorus.

10. The method of claim 9 in which said at least one organic compound is present at a level from 0.05 ppm to 20 ppm and has a nitrogen, phosphorus or boron content of at least 4%.