Characterizing the Source of Fugitive Middle Distillate Fuels—A Case Study Involving Railroad Diesel Fuel,Mandan, North Dakota

Middle distillate fuels are used in civilian and military jet engines, on-road (truck and bus) and off-road diesel (diesel-electric locomotives, heavy equipment, and farm machinery) engines, marine diesel engines, nonaviation gas turbines, and domestic and commercial furnaces. As such, these fuels are common environmental contaminants that may arise from multiple sources. The considerable liability associated with these fugitive fuels requires that their source(s) be defensibly determined. In this paper we describe the “chemical fingerprinting” features of middle distillate fuels that can be used in assessments of their source(s) in the environment. A case study in which railroad (off-road) diesel fuel #2 could be distinguished from nonrailroad fuels (e.g., on-road diesel fuel #2, fuel oil #2, and/or fuel oil #1) in Mandan, North Dakota, is presented.