Concentration-data of elements in liquid fuel oils as obtained by neutron activation analysis

Three crude oil samples and 49 commercial petroleum products are analysed using instrumental neutron activation analysis for the following elements: Na, Mg, Al, S, Cl, K, Sc, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Mo, Sb, Ba, La and Th. For most elements the concentration ranges are considerable, even within the same product class. The ratios of the concentrations in the heavy distillates of crude oil to those in the light fractions vary from 2 up to 400. On the basis of these ratios the elements are subdivided in 4 groups. The elemental concentrations are in liquid fuels still a few orders of magnitude lower than in coal. Exceptions are the elements V, Se, S, Ni in fuel oil and Br in gasoline. For some elements the potential contribution to heavy metal air pollution in Belgium is estimated.