Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by ITD mass spectrometry and comparison with GC and LC chromatographic techniques. Applications: Airborne particulate
Written by sctunisie no commentsA method for the simultaneous analysis of nineteen Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), 11 of which are included in the priority pollutants list of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was designed for their determination in airborne particulate. PAHs analysis was carried out by different analytical techniques: reversed-phase liquid chromatography with Ultraviolet detection and wavelength programming (LC-UV), capillary gas chromatography with Flame Ionisation (GC-FID) and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) with Ion Trap Detector (ITD). The minimum amounts detectable with the various techniques were determined for each compound. They lay respectively between 0.05 and 0.2 ng on LC-UV, between 1.5 and 5 ng on GC-FID and between 0.5 and 4 pg on GC-ITD-MS. PAHs separation was achieved on 5 µm polymeric C-18 column in LC and on two different capillary columns in GC. Samples were extracted by acetonitrile using Soxhlet extraction. The purification step was assessed for each analytical technique. These methods were applied for the determination of PAHs in three locations in Tunis. For studied samples, ten PAHs were detected and quantified. Moreover, PAHs levels were in relation ship with traffic rate in studied locations.
S. Dridi, S. Sabbah, M.S. Medimagh
PAH, Mass Spectrometry, Ion Trap Detector, airborne particulate
Pages 689-703
