Patent ID: 6040188
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for measuring hydrocarbon contaminants in an environmental sample comprising the steps of:a) processing said sample to exclude particles over 1-10 mm in diameter;b) preparing a mixture of lipids and bile salts so as to form micelles; thenc) adding said processed sample to the mixture to form a sample-lipid-bile salt mixture composition;d) holding the sample-lipid-bile salt mixture composition at a temperature between 20 and 40.degree. C. for 2 to 12 hrs wherein the sample-lipid-bile salt mixture composition separates into a liquid phase and a solid phase; thene) separating the liquid phase from said solid phase of said sample-lipid-bile salt mixture composition; andf) measuring the amount of said hydrocarbon contaminants in said liquid phase, whereby the measurement of said hydrocarbon contaminants in said liquid phase represents a fraction of said hydrocarbon contaminants in the environmental sample which would be taken up through oral ingestion of the environmental sample.