Supercritical fluid extraction of Chinese Maoming oil shale with water and toluene

Chinese Maoming (Guangdong Province) oil shale was subjected to supercritical fluid extraction with water and toluene, respectively, in a batch autoclave. Yields of organic matter were greater with toluene than with water, and more organic compounds of high molecular weight were extracted with toluene than with water, although the weight losses of the oil shale with toluene and water were almost the same. Yield distributions ofn-alkanes were also almost the same, irrespective of the solvent. This paper is dedicated to Dr L K Doraiswamy on his sixtieth birthday.