Abstract
A new method for equilibrating water containing alkane hydrocarbons with a gas phase and analyzing the gas for hydrocarbon content by gas chromatography extends analytical sensitivity to better than 0.1 part per billion. The solubilities at 25°C of the normal C9 (220 parts per billion) and C10 (52 parts per billion) alkanes decrease with increasing carbon number. A discontinuity occurs at the normal C11, alkane, probably because of a change from true solubility (molecular dispersion) to accommodation (aggregation).