Abstract
A method is described which permits the analysis of fossil porphyrin mixtures by HPLC. This method involves the fractionation of the demetallated petroporphyrin mixtures on silica columns followed by rechromatography of the trapped fractions on ODS columns. This coupling of the two modes of HPLC provides a fast and effective method for the separation of isomeric porphyrins and for the petroporphyrin fingerprinting of geological (oil/shale) samples. Representative examples of analysis are discussed in terms of the potential applicability of the technique in the areas of structure elucidation and geochemical correlations.

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