ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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agreement between the University of Wyoming and the Department of Interior, Bureau of Mines. LITERATURE CITED
(1) Ball. J. S.. U. S. Bur. Mines, Rept. Inuest. 3591 (1941). (2) Blioke. F. F., and Sheets. D. G., J . Am. Chem. Soc., 71, 4010 (1949). (3) Challenger, F.,Haslam, J., and Brambdl, R. J., J . Insl. Pel~oleumTechnol., 12, 106 (1926). (4) Dodonov, J.. and Soshestrenska. E..B e . , 59B. 2202 (1926). (5) Gavin. M. J., and Desmond. J. S.. U. S. Bur. Mines, Bull. 315 (1930).
(6) King, W. .I. and , Nod. P. F., J . Ow. Chem.. 13, 635 (1948). (7) Kinney. I. W..and Cook, G. L., ANAL.CHEM..24, 1391 (1952).
(8) Lecl6rre and LeclBre, Compt. rend.. 194,286 (1932). (9) MeKittrick, D.5.. Ind. Eng. C h m . . 21. 585 (1929). (10) Pison, M., Bu.11. 8 0 ~chim. . F~ance.58,296 (1949). (11) Rakovskii, E. V.. "Bituminous Shale and Its Technical Utilization, p. 121.Leningrad. Lenkhimsektor, 1932. (12) Scheibler, H., and Rettig, F., Ber.. 59B, 1198 (1926). (13) Scheibler, Z.B., Ihid., 48. 1815 (1915). (14)Steinkopf, W.,and Killingstad, A,, Ann.. 532,288 (1937). (15) Steinkopf, W., and Nitschke, IT., A & Pharm..278,360 (1940). (16) Tehoubar, B.,I d . parfum. 2. 193 (1947). R E C F ~ Vfor E ~review June 16, 1923. Aeocpted Seoternber 4, 1952.
ADDlication of ter Meulen Nitrogen Method to Petroleum Fractions HOLOWCHAK, G. E. C. WEAK, AND E. L. BALDESCHWIEL tories, Research Diuision, Standard Oil Development Co., Linden
The petroleum industry has long been concerned with the accurate determination of small amounts of nitrogen i n petroleum feed stocks and products. The conventional Dumas method is unsatisfactory because of the low levels of nitrogen content encountered, while substituted pyridines, quinolines, pyrroles, and other ring-type nitrogen compounds whioh are present i n petroleum and ita produots are particularly refractory to Kjeldahl digestion. The fer Meulen method has heen sueeessfully applied to these types of materials with a n accuracy of *lvo of the amount of nitrogen present. The procedure consists of thermal decomposition of the sample in an atmosphere of hydrogen and conversion of nitrogen to ammonia by passage of the pyrolysis products over a niol
