Tagging hydrocarbons for subsequent identification

摘要

Method for tagging hydrocarbons and for detecting the presence of tagged hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon mixture. The method can be utilized to tag gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, lubricating oil or crude petroleum. The hydrocarbon to be tagged is blended with a relatively small amount of a fluorescent dye. The presence of the tagged hydrocarbon is subsequently determined by exciting the dye to fluoresce at wavelengths in the higher portion of the visible spectral region or the lower portion of the near infrared spectral region.