| The gamma radiolysis of Michigan and Colorado oil shales to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbons was studied employing gas chromatography (GC). The hydrocarbons observed were C(,1) to C(,6), which are usable fuels with no further refinement necessary. The shale samples were irradiated in air and in the presence of proton donor materials such as hydrogen gas, water and tetralin. The radiolysis yields were the greatest for samples irradiated in hydrogen gas, 0.016%, approximately two orders of magnitude greater than the yields obtained for the radiolysis in air, 3.3 x 10('-4)%.;Trace element volatilization during the process of excess-air combustion of oil shale was also studied using INAA to determine the change in concentration of various major, minor and trace elements in the ashed oil shales. Temperature profiling of C, H, N composition of the oil shale was used to determine the lowest temperature for effective combustion while examining potential volatility losses of certain trace elements.;Changes in trace element mobilities in the gamma irradiated shales were studied by exhaustive extraction of the shales with water and subsequent analysis of the shales by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). |
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