Abstract: A method of detecting a tracer compound dissolved in a liquid composition via surface-enhanced spectroscopy includes the steps of: a. optionally, diluting the liquid composition or the separated liquid by mixing with a diluent liquid; b. bringing a sample of the separated liquid into contact with, a spectroscopy-enhancing surface including gold, silver or copper; c. obtaining a Raman spectrum from the sample; and d. calculating, from the spectrum, the concentration of the tracer in the sample relative to the concentration of a second component of the composition.

Abstract: The invention is a process for manufacturing a chemical product which may be later identified and distinguished from similar chemical products, and comprises the steps of (i) forming a reaction mixture comprising chemical intermediate A, chemical intermediate B and marker chemical M (ii) providing the conditions which enable chemical intermediate A and chemical intermediate B to react together to form chemical product C, and for marker chemical M to react either with chemical intermediate A to form a marker product AM or with chemical product C to form a marker product CM (iii) after said reactions have taken place, separating a mixture of product C with product AM and/or a mixture of product C with marker product CM from the reaction mix tune wherein product AM and product CM are both distinguishable from product C by analysis. By using the method of the invention, the marked product is formed in situ and in a mixture with unmarked product.

Abstract: A method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes the step of adding to the liquid, as a tracer compound, a compound of Formula I: wherein at least one of R1-R4 is selected from: i. a bromine or fluorine atom; ii. a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group; iii. a branched or cyclic C4-C20 alkyl group; iv. an aliphatic substituent linking two positions selected from R1-R4 in Formula I to one another; or v. a phenyl group substituted with a halogen atom, an aliphatic group or halogenated aliphatic group. The tracer compounds are resistant to removal from the fuel by chemical laundering or by contact with absorbents such as charcoal.

Abstract: A method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes the step of adding to the liquid, as a tracer compound, a compound of Formula I: wherein at least one of R1-R4 is selected from: i. a bromine or fluorine atom; ii. a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group; iii. a branched or cyclic C4-C20 alkyl group; iv. an aliphatic substituent linking two positions selected from R1-R4 in Formula I to one another; or v. a phenyl group substituted with a halogen atom, an aliphatic group or halogenated aliphatic group. The tracer compounds are resistant to removal from the fuel by chemical laundering or by contact with absorbents such as charcoal.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of measuring the amount of a particular SERS-active taggant compound in a sample of a material which includes the steps of adding an internal standard containing an isotopically-altered version of said SERS-active taggant compound to the sample, contacting the sample/internal standard mixture with a SERS substrate then subjecting the mixture and SERS substrate to Raman spectroscopy. The concentration of SERS-active taggant compound in the sample is then calculated from the ratio of (i) the Raman spectroscopy detector response to the SERS-active taggant compound to (ii) the Raman spectroscopy detector response to the internal standard.

Abstract: Method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes: adding thereto, a tracer compound of Formula I: wherein, each A is independently selected from the group consisting of (i) a phenyl group, (ii) a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an aliphatic group or a halogenated aliphatic group, (iii) a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group or (iv) a linear branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group, and each B is independently selected from the group consisting of a (i) phenyl, (ii) phenylmethyl group, (iii) a cyclohexyl group, (iv) a cyclohexylmethyl group, (v) a substituted phenyl or phenylmethyl group in which the benzene ring is substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a fluorine atom, a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group and a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group or (vi) a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analysing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analyzing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: Method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes adding to the liquid a tracer compound of Formula I: wherein, each X is independently hydrogen, bromine, fluorine, a halogenated alkyl group, a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group, or a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an alkyl group or a halogenated alkyl group; each Y is independently bromine, fluorine, a halogenated alkyl group, a branched or cyclic C1-C9 alkyl group, or a phenyl group substituted with at least one alkyl and/or a halogenated alkyl group; Z is a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an aliphatic or halogenated aliphatic group, a halogenated alkyl group or a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group, provided that when each Y is a fluorine atom, Z is not a linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl group.

Abstract: A method of detecting a tracer compound dissolved in a liquid composition via surface-enhanced spectroscopy includes the steps of: a. optionally, diluting the liquid composition or the separated liquid by mixing with a diluent liquid; b. bringing a sample of the separated liquid into contact with, a spectroscopy-enhancing surface including gold, silver or copper; c. obtaining a Raman spectrum from the sample; and d. calculating, from the spectrum, the concentration of the tracer in the sample relative to the concentration of a second component of the composition.

Abstract: A method of measuring the fluorescence of a fluorescent marker compound dissolved or dispersed in a bulk material includes: (a) measuring a characteristic of the fluorescence of a mixture of said bulk material and said fluorescent marker compound; (b) quenching the fluorescence of the fluorescent marker compound to produce a quenched mixture; (c) measuring the characteristic of the fluorescence of the quenched mixture; (d) comparing the fluorescent characteristic of the mixture with the fluorescent characteristic of the quenched mixture; and (e) correcting the measured fluorescent emission characteristic for the effects of the absorbance of the bulk material. The measurement may be further corrected to account for the absorbance of the material which is also known to have an effect on the measured fluorescence. A method of tagging and identifying a bulk material with a fluorescent marker compound, and an apparatus for carrying out the methods are also described.

Abstract: Method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes: adding thereto, a tracer compound of Formula I: wherein, each A is independently selected from the group consisting of (i) a phenyl group, (ii) a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an aliphatic group or a halogenated aliphatic group, (iii) a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group or (iv) a linear branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group, and each B is independently selected from the group consisting of a (i) phenyl, (ii) phenylmethyl group, (iii) a cyclohexyl group, (iv) a cyclohexylmethyl group, (v) a substituted phenyl or phenylmethyl group in which the benzene ring is substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a fluorine atom, a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group and a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group or (vi) a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group.

Abstract: Method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes adding to the liquid, a tracer compound of Formula I: wherein, each X is independently selected from a hydrogen, bromine, or fluorine atom, a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group, a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group and a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an alkyl group or a halogenated alkyl group; each Y is independently selected from a bromine, or fluorine atom, a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group, a branched or cyclic C1-C9 alkyl group and a phenyl group substituted with at least one alkyl and/or a halogenated alkyl group; Z is selected from (i) a phenyl group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, an aliphatic or halogenated aliphatic group, (ii) a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group or (iii) a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C20 alkyl group provided that when each Y is a fluorine atom, Z is not a linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl group.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analysing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: A method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes the step of adding to the liquid, as a tracer compound, a compound of Formula I: wherein at least one of R1-R4 is selected from: i. a bromine or fluorine atom; ii. a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group; iii. a branched or cyclic C4-C20 alkyl group; iv. an aliphatic substituent linking two positions selected from R1-R4 in Formula I to one another; or v. a phenyl group substituted with a halogen atom, an aliphatic group or halogenated aliphatic group. The tracer compounds are resistant to removal from the fuel by chemical laundering or by contact with absorbents such as charcoal.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analyzing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analysing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of measuring the amount of a particular SERS-active taggant compound in a sample of a material which includes the steps of adding an internal standard containing an isotopically-altered version of said SERS-active taggant compound to the sample, contacting the sample/internal standard mixture with a SERS substrate then subjecting the mixture and SERS substrate to Raman spectroscopy. The concentration of SERS-active taggant compound in the sample is then calculated from the ratio of (i) the Raman spectroscopy detector response to the SERS-active taggant compound to (ii) the Raman spectroscopy detector response to the internal standard.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods for prion degradation, decontamination or disinfection. The composition comprises an oxidizing agent, one or more proteases and a surfactant such as an ionic surfactant/detergent. The method comprises contacting a prion contaminated entity with a prion-degrading composition comprising an effective amount of an oxidizing agent, an effective amount of at least one protease, and an effective amount of a surfactant. The components of the composition may be contacted with a prion-contaminated entity sequentially or simultaneously using an aqueous composition. Typically at least two different proteases are used for optimal efficacy. Preferably the oxidizing agent comprises peracetyl ions or a source thereof. The invention also relates to kits comprising the various reagents.

Abstract: A method of tracing flow of hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir including forming a dispersion, injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid containing the dispersion down a well penetrating a hydrocarbon reservoir, thereafter collecting a sample of hydrocarbon fluid flowing from the reservoir, and analysing the sample to determine whether the tracer compound is present in the sample. The dispersion includes a discontinuous condensed phase having a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer compound and a continuous phase which includes an aqueous liquid.