Characterization of heavy, biodegraded crude oils by high resolution ESI FT-ICR mass spectrometry

ElectroSpray Ionization FT-ICR MS was applied to a series of heavy crude oils of similar geographic origin that have gone through varying degrees of biodegradation. The assignment of elemental compositions for the thousands of polar heteroaromatic species observed allowed for component-by-component monitoring of the compositional changes in the biodegradation samples. N-containing compounds with more condensed ring type structures were more resistant to biodegradation.