Using sterol profiles for fingerprinting biodiesel and matching biodiesel spill samples to a source

An increase in the production of biodiesel has been accompanied by a rise in the occurrence of biodiesel spills. To determine the source of a spill, fatty acid methyl ester fingerprinting is generally used. However, in the experience of these authors, this approach was of limited use for matching biodiesel residues back to the source material. The present work demonstrates sterol profiling for matching spill samples to a source. Sterol profiling was found to be a better approach for this than fatty acid methyl ester profiling, with the added benefit that sterol analysis could determine the feedstock used in the production of biodiesels.