Highly sensitive automatic analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor and outdoor air

A method for the quantitation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor and outdoor air by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a spectrofluorometric detection and programmed excitation and emission wavelength pairs is proposed. The mobile phase is a linear gradient of methanol-water. The relative standard deviations (n = 5) are in the range 0.38-1.7% at concentration levels of 0.69-11.40 ng ml(-1). The determination limits (S N = 10 ) are 0.5-15.9 pg. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantitate 12 PAHs in gas phase and particulates in indoor and outdoor air. The recoveries of PAHs from gas phase and particulates were 95.7-117.5 and 94.8-112.4%, respectively. This highly sensitive automatic HPLC analysis for PAHs both in gas phase and particulates can be applied to indoor and outdoor survey.     

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric determination of benzene and its alkyl derivatives in indoor and outdoor air in Fuji, Japan

An analytical method was established for the determination of benzene and 13 of its alkyl derivatives. The method was applied to a survey of indoor pollution that investigated the usefulness of the method, concentration levels, seasonal variations, profiles, correlations between compounds, and factors that affected indoor pollution by these compounds. The survey was performed in 21 houses in the summer of 1999 and 20 houses in the winter of 1999-2000 in Fuji, Japan. All the target compounds were detected in the indoor and outdoor air of all houses. Outdoor concentrations of benzene ranged from 0.779 to 3.17 microg/m3 in summer and from 1.35 to 6.04 microg/m3 in winter, whereas indoor concentrations of benzene ranged from 0.694 to 3.11 microg/m3 in summer and from 1.65 to 6.89 microg/m3 in winter. Indoor concentrations of the target compounds, except for benzene, were elevated, compared with outdoor concentrations. Because indoor and outdoor concentrations of benzene and its derivatives in summer were lower than in winter, the emission of these compounds may be increased by use of a heater and other variables present in winter. Profiles of the compounds, correlations between the compounds, and factors that affected indoor pollution (determined by multiple regression analysis) were investigated. These results suggested that indoor benzene predominantly penetrated from outdoors and that other benzene derivatives were emitted from indoor sources, such as paint solvents and kerosene heaters.     

Solid-phase clean-up in the liquid chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method for sample clean-up, followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection is reported for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible oils. The effects of experimental variables, such as washing and elution solvents, sample solvent and drying time have been studied using C18 cartridges. Recoveries and selectivity using other sorbent materials (C8, C2, CH, PH and NH2) were also examined, with C18 being the best one. The recoveries ranged between 50 and 103% depending on the molecular mass of the PAH. The limits of quantitation were lower than 1 ng/g for most PAHs and good precision was achieved. The method was validated using certified reference materials.     

A passive sampler-GC/ECD method for analyzing 18 volatile organohalogen compounds in indoor and outdoor air and its application to a survey on indoor pollution in Shizuoka, Japan

A simple and reliable method was developed for analysis of 18 volatile organohalogen compounds (VOHCs) both indoors and outdoors, consisting of VOHC collection by a passive sampler, extraction with toluene by mechanical shaking, and automatic separation analysis by capillary gas-chromatography with electron capture detector (GC/ECD). The passive sampler is a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube (30.30+/-0.37 mm net collection length, 5.0 mm inside diameter, 0.990 g weight) uniformly packed with activated charcoal (194.4+/-3.8 mg). The procedure was applied to a field survey on indoor and outdoor VOHC pollution in Shizuoka, Japan. Ten VOHCs, including trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and p-dichlorobenzene, were detected from indoor and outdoor air samples. The ratios of maximum to minimum VOHC concentrations, both outdoors and indoors, were large. The indoor and outdoor concentrations of 1,1-dichloroethylene, dichloromethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene were found to be similar. Indoor concentrations of trihalomethanes, p-dichlorobenzene and tetrachloroethylene were higher than those of outdoors.     

Simultaneous determination of aliphatic and aromatic amines in indoor and outdoor air samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method has been proposed for the simultaneous determination of aliphatic and aromatic amines in indoor and outdoor air samples. The method includes pre-concentration of the compounds by percolating the air samples through the acidic solution, ion-pair extraction with bis-2-ethylhexylphosphate (BEHPA), derivatisation of compounds with isobutyl chloroformate (IBCF) and their GC-MS analysis. Aliphatic and aromatic amines were isolated from aqueous samples using BEHPA as ion-pair reagent and derivatised with IBCF for their chromatographic analysis. Aliphatic and aromatic amines were then analysed with GC-MS in both electron impact (EI) and positive and negative ion chemical ionisation (PNICI) mode as their isobutyloxycarbonyl (isoBOC) derivatives. The obtained recoveries ranged from 75.6 to 96.8% and the precision of this method, as indicated by the relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) was within the range of 1.0-4.4%. The detection limits obtained from calculations by using GC-MS results based on S/N: 3 were within the range of 0.08-0.01 ng/m³.     

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a passive environmental sampler

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous compounds released in the environment by different sources. The aim of the present work was to validate a solid‐phase extraction (SPE) and a rapid ultra‐high performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) method for the analysis of PAHs in a passive environmental sampler, namely a Dacron® (the commercial name of a synthetic fiber based on polyethylene terephthalate) textile. The elution temperature was optimized to improve the resolution of early‐eluted compounds, namely acenaphthene (Ac) and fluorene (F). The UHPLC method lasts about 10 min and showed good linearity for all the 16 PAHs considered, with regression coefficients over 0.99. Recoveries, limits of detection (LODs), and limits of quantification (LOQs) of the SPE method were well within the performance criteria fixed by the Regulation n. 836/2011, namely 0.3 and 0.9 μg/kg, respectively.     

On-site solid phase extraction and coupled-column high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of fluoranthene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene in water is presented. The analytical procedure consists of on-site solid-phase extraction of the analytes on a selective sample column using a new device, transport and integration of the loaded sample column into a HPLC-system and coupled-column HPLC-analysis. The method allows reliable quantification of the PAHs at the low ng/l-level in particle-free as well as in particle-containing surface water.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. J. F. K. Huber on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Coupled-column high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine of subjects exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

A coupled-column high-performance liquid chromatographic system for integrated, on-line sample processing and the determination of free and conjugated 1-hydroxypyrene in urine has been developed. The method is based on a “tailor-made” copper phthalocyanine-modified porous-glass precolumn packing material, which allows a direct and repeated injection of urine samples and a selective enrichment of trace amounts of particular components. The fully automated method has a low detection limit (0.01 pmol), a quantitative and matrix-independent recovery and a highly reliability, as shown by an interlaboratory comparison of methods.     

On-line concentration and fluorescence determination HPLC for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater samples and its application to Japan Sea

An on?line concentration and fluorescence determination HPLC for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seawater was proposed. An online concentration column packed with octadecyl polyvinyl alcohol polymer, a pump and a column switching valve were introduced in the conventional HPLC with a fluorescence detector. Only 1.0-100?mL seawater sample was introduced into the concentration column at 1.0?mL?min(-1) without any other pretreatment except filtration. Then the trapped PAHs totally flew into the separation column and eluted separately to be detected fluorogenically. The proposed method had good linearity with correlation coefficients (r) ranged from 0.951 to 0.998, and limits of detection ranged from 0.002 to 0.50?ng?L(-1) for 15 PAHs as 100?mL seawater was loaded. The sensitivity of the method was 10 to 100 times higher than those reported by other works. The proposed method was applied to the determination of PAHs in the seawater samples collected in the Japan Sea with satisfactory results and to check the present benzo[a]pyrene concentration at the beaches in Noto peninsula, Japan polluted with C-heavy oil spilled from the tanker in 1997.     

Fast chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aerosol samples from sugar cane burning

The influence of the pH on the complexation equilibria between (S)- or (R)-alprenolol and the cellulase Cel7A was investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry. The results obtained agree with those of previous, similar studies of the same equilibria in which the protein was immobilized on silica particles, packed in a chromatographic column. The association constant and the complexation enthalpy and entropy of the (S)-enantiomer increase with increasing pH. For (R)-alprenolol, the binding is endothermic at all pH values. Thus, for both enantiomers in the pH range 5.5-6.8, the binding is an entropically driven process.     

Surface water preparation procedure for chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls

A new sample preparation procedure for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water containing suspended particulate matter (SPM) has been developed. A specially designed filtration vessel coupled directly to an SPE cartridge was used for this purpose. SPM separation and analyte isolation/concentration were carried out in a single step. Both the SPE cartridge and the suspended matter collected on the filter were solvent extracted, and analyte recoveries were determined. Analyte recoveries from the filtrate ranged from 64 to 100% of the spiked amount for PAHs with the highest aqueous solubilities, and did not exceed 20% for those with the lowest solubilities. Total recoveries of PAHs from surface water containing 21 mg l(-1) SPM ranged from 65 to 121%. PCB recoveries from the particulate matter reached over 10% of the spiked amount, while those from the filtrate ranged from 20 to 57%. Total PCBs recoveries ranged from 34 to 69%.     

A review of techniques for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air

We provide an extensive review of the common methodologies employed in the analysis of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The review focuses on gas-chromatography-based approaches, in the light of their universal application with excellent separation, resolution, and sensitivity.We first describe collection methods for airborne PAHs in the gas and particle phases. We then evaluate the efficiency of extraction techniques employed for separating target PAHs from sampling media, using conventional solvent-based and emerging thermal-desorption approaches.We also describe commonly employed analytical methods with respect to their applicability to PAHs in gas and particle phases, collected from diverse environmental settings. As an essential part of basic quality assurance, we examine each method with special emphasis on key parameters (e.g., limit of detection and reproducibility).Finally, we address the likely directions of methodological developments, their limitations, and the future prospects for PAH analysis.     

Simultaneous determination of carbonyl compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric particulate matter by liquid chromatography-diode array detection-fluorescence detection

Simultaneous analysis of 24 carbonyl compounds (alkanals, unsaturated, dicarbonylic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones) derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a photodiode-array (PDA) and a fluorescence (FL) detector in series is proposed.The separation is carried out with a reversed-phase column and gradient elution using four solvents (acetonitrile, water, tetrahydrofuran and methanol) in less than 35 min. Several critical pairs of carbonyl compounds with 3 and 4 carbon atoms and different functional groups, isomers of tolualdehyde, aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes were conditional on the gradient elution. Common pre-treatment for two groups of compounds consists in a step of extraction and derivatization in aqueous medium and a further clean-up using a polymeric phase SPE and concentration in a mixture of dichloromethane:methanol. A pre-concentration factor of 50 was achieved by this procedure. Acetone and formaldehyde blanks were minimized and remain controlled with a specific cleaning of glass material and washing the SPE cartridge.The limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.006 to 0.18 ng mL⁻¹ for PAHs and from 2.4 to 10.1 ng mL⁻¹ for carbonyl compounds and method precision was ≤15% for all analysed compounds. Recoveries were within the range of 95-104% for PAHs except for more volatile compounds (acenaphthene and fluorene) and within the range of 72-113% for carbonyl compounds. The method was applied in water-soluble fraction of PM₁₀ (atmospheric particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm) and the spectral contrast technique was used in the identification of carbonyl compounds.     

Headspace solvent microextraction and gas chromatographic determination of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples

Headspace solvent microextraction (HSME) was shown to be an efficient preconcentration method for extraction of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aqueous sample solutions. A microdrop of 1-butanol (as extracting solvent) containing biphenyl (as internal standard) was used in this investigation. Extraction occurred by suspending a 3 μl drop of 1-butanol from the tip of a microsyringe fixed above the surface of solution in a sealed vial. After extraction for a preset time, the microdrop was retracted back into the syringe and injected directly into a GC injection port. The effects of nature of extracting solvent, microdrop and sample temperatures, stirring rate, microdrop and sample volumes, ionic strength and extraction time on HSME efficiency were investigated and optimized. Finally, the enrichment factor, dynamic linear range (DLR), limit of detection (LOD) and precision of the method were evaluated by water samples spiked with PAHs. The optimized procedure was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of PAHs in different water samples.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using pyridinium chloride as a selective fluorescence quencher to aid detection

Preferential solvation parameters A in the ternary systems solvent (1) -monomer (2) -polymer (3) were determined as a tool to measure the compatibility between the cyanate ester monomer Arocy B10 and poly(sulfone), PSF, in the presence of three organic solvents: tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide and dicloromethane. The A parameter was measured by size-exclusion chromatography at different monomer-to-polymer ratios. The quantitative evaluation was rigorously made at polymer-diluted conditions. PSF was found to be preferentially solvated by the monomer. Concerning the solvent used, systems containing tetrahydrofuran showed the strongest solvation, the lowest A values being those obtained in dicloromethane. These results were in accordance with the intrinsic viscosity values of the PSF-solvent systems. The variation of A values with the Arocy B10 concentration is strongly dependent upon the nature of the solvent.     

Selective gas chromatographic separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on Bentone 34

Summary Using modified Bentone 34 as a thin layer on glass beads in a short micropacked column at maximum working temperature reasonable retention times of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were achieved up to perylene. Some differences in the elution order were observed as compared with other sorbents.     

溶胶-凝胶杂化整体柱修饰及在多环芳烃检测中的应用

利用点击反应对含叠氮基的溶胶-凝胶整体柱进行了表面修饰,制备了C₆-硅胶杂化整体萃取柱。实验以多环芳烃为分析对象,考察了制备和修饰条件对萃取效率的影响,在优化的条件下,新制备的整体柱对萘、菲、芘和苯并[a]芘的萃取富集倍数分别达到95.9、114.2、103.2和57.8。萃取实验的日内和日间精密度(RSD)分别小于5.5%(n=8)和7.3%(n=10)。建立的管内固相微萃取-高效液相色谱检测16种常见多环芳烃方法的检出限(S/N=3)达到0.08~3.72 μg/L,定量限(S/N=10)达到0.26~12.40 μg/L。土壤中多环芳烃分析的加标回收率为82.4%~110.6%, RSD为2.6%~7.9%(n=3)。与美国国家环境保护局检测土壤中多环芳烃的方法比较,结果一致,准确性高。实验表明,该方法萃取效率高,灵敏可靠,操作简便,重现性好,可满足土壤等样品中痕量多环芳烃检测的要求。