Abstract
Validation and implementation of a method to obtain the fingerprint of bunker samples was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The parameters considered in the validation were linearity, variance and analytical error. Linearity was evaluated with calibration curves from linear alkanes, the correlation coefficients obtained were greater than 0,9850. Variance was analyzed measuring eight times the same standard the coefficient of variation was less than 5%. For the analytical error a study of duplicate samples was performed, obtaining coefficients of variation between replicates under 5%. These data demonstrate that the validation is agreeing to the intended use of the method. A bunker sample was prepared by an extern to be unknown by the analyst to corroborate the method. The analyst was able to identify each of the samples by visual comparison and by diagnostic relations of the chromatograms. The results demonstrate that the method is effective to identify various samples by fingerprint comparison.