Quantitative analysis of naphthalene, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol at nanomol levels in geothermal fluids using SPE with HPLC

Lucjan Sajkowski; Terry M Seward; Bruce W Mountain

doi:10.1016/j.mex.2023.102244

Quantitative analysis of naphthalene, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol at nanomol levels in geothermal fluids using SPE with HPLC

MethodsX. 2023 Jun 12:11:102244. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102244. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Lucjan Sajkowski¹, Terry M Seward^{1

2}, Bruce W Mountain¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth Resources and Materials, GNS Science, Wairakei, New Zealand.
² School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Abstract

Naphthalene (NAP), 1-naphthol (1-NAP) and 2-naphthol (2-NAP) are the thermal decomposition products of naphthalene sulfonates making them potentially new geothermal reservoir permeability tracers, however, to date, no sensitive and fast detection method for these compounds has been developed. In order to facilitate sensitive and rapid analysis of these compounds in geothermal brines and associated steam condensates, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method combined with solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been developed.•A method for determination of naphthalene, 1- and 2-naphthol from brines has been developed.•These compounds have been detected in steam samples from three New Zealand geothermal fields.•As breakdown products of NDS/NSA, these compounds have potential use as geothermal tracers.

Keywords: Chromatography; HPLC; Naphthalene; Naphthol; SPE geothermal tracers; SPE-HPLC.