Technique Output Liquid chromatography Physical separation of different components of complex liquid mixture (petroleum) Gas chromatography Physical separation of different components of complex gas phase mixture (petroleum gas or heated volatilized liquid) Ion chromatography Physical separation of different charged (aqueous) components in complex natural solutions Output Quantitative measure of proportions of different compounds in gas and liquid petroleum Quantitative measure of proportions of different anions in water (common application) Output Sample type Advantages Disadvantages Whole petroleum or extracted bitumen samples Excellent pre separation technique for GC and GC MS analyses; Gives quantities of groups of petroleum compounds Splits gas and liquid range compounds; easily quantified; well established technology; good for samples with dominant alkanes Limited separation capability Splits a range of anions in water; high resolution; relatively fast and simultaneously analyses all anions; no real alternative Unsuitable for bicarbonate analysis Either whole petroleum or separate parts (achieved using liquid chromatography) Quantitative measure of proportions of different cations in water (less common application) Water sample or solid sample quantitatively dissolved in water Co elution of different compounds; requires sample preparation; unknown GC peaks can give ambiguous interpretation 68 ANALYTICAL METHODS/Geochemical Analysis (Including X-ray) Table Chromatographic techniques commonly used in geochemical analysis