Abstract
The Bureau of Mines has developed a chromatographic separation procedure using a single dual-packed adsorption column containing silica gel and alumina that will separate high-boiling petroleum distillates into four concentrates: saturates, monoaromatics, diaromatics, and polyaromatics-polar. Spectral, adsorption, and radio-tracer data indicate that the concentrates produced are predominantly as labeled. Subdividing the aromatics into major types greatly simplifies subsequent separation and characterization studies.