Microwave-assisted extraction of polycyclic aromatic compounds from coal

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) from coal is shown to give the same pattern of compounds as Soxhlet extraction. MAE requires only 10 mL solvent and 10 min extraction time whereas Soxhlet uses 200 mL and takes 24 h. Although the yields were lower, dichloromethane (DCM) was preferred to pyridine, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and NMP with CS₂ because the pattern of the PACs is shown to be independent of solvent and DCM is a much more convenient solvent to work with.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of polycyclic aromatic compounds from coal

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) from coal is shown to give the same pattern of compounds as Soxhlet extraction. MAE requires only 10 mL solvent and 10 min extraction time whereas Soxhlet uses 200 mL and takes 24 h. Although the yields were lower, dichloromethane (DCM) was preferred to pyridine, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and NMP with CS2 because the pattern of the PACs is shown to be independent of solvent and DCM is a much more convenient solvent to work with.     

Solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface water. Negative effect of humic acid

The effect of humic acid on solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from surface water was studied. The hydrophobic PAHs show significant association with humic acid, and this was confirmed to be the cause of negative effect when conventional reversed-phase solid-phase extraction (RP-SPE) was employed to extract the analytes from aqueous samples. As an alternative, dynamic ion-exchange (DIE) SPE could simultaneously extract both the fraction of the analytes which was associated with humic acid, and that which was freely dissolved. Using the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs as model compounds, the recoveries of the highly hydrophobic components by DIE-SPE were 10-30% higher than those by RP-SPE for a 1000-ml water sample dissolved with Aldrich humic acid (of 4.1 mg/l dissolved organic carbon content). A similar result was also obtained for 500 ml of natural surface water although the difference in recoveries between the two methods for this sample was smaller than that for the simulated sample. For validation of the method, the artifacts in connection with DIE-SPE in extracting the fraction of analytes which was freely dissolved and that which was associated with humic acid were investigated.     

Solid-phase extraction and purification for the quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites in fish bile

An analytical protocol including solid-phase extraction and purification is described for the individual quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (hydroxylated PAHs) in liquid biological matrices such as plasma and bile. The method consists in an enzymatic deconjugation followed by a solid-phase extraction on a C₁₈ cartridge and by a cleanup on an NH₂ cartridge. Extracts are then submitted to a derivatization step before gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The quantification of PAH metabolites is ensured by adding an internal standard, 1-hydroxypyrene deuterated, at the beginning of the protocol. Recoveries obtained for the entire protocol were for the major part of the compounds between 96 and 70%. However, recoveries were not so satisfying concerning 2-hydroxybiphenyl and especially 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene, with 62 and 36% respectively. Finally, the protocol was applied to different fish bile samples and showed its good applicability to fish bile samples. The NH₂ cleanup step has been proved to be a very selective purification step, necessary to remove most of the bile pigments before GC/MS injection. Different PAH metabolites could be detected in those natural samples and their quantification allowed us to distinguish different levels of fish exposure.     

Photochemical synthesis of heteroatom-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds

Anthra[2,1-b]furan, anthra[2,1-b]benzo[d]furan, anthra[2,1-b]thiophene, anthra[1,2-b]thiophene, anthra[2,1-b]benzo[d]thiophene, anthra[2,1-b]pyrrole and naphtho[2,3-c]carbazole derivatives were synthesized in fairly good yields by a one-pot photocycloaddition reaction of 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-naphthoquinone with 1,1-diarylethylene. This is the first reported synthesis of these aromatic compounds.     

Bromination of deactivated polycyclic aromatic nitro compounds

Bromination of 2,7-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, 2,5-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, and 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone with bromine in concentrated sulfuric acid in the presence of acetic acid gave, respectively, 4-bromo-2,7-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, 2-bromo-4,7-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, and 5-bromo-2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone. No bromination occurred in the absence of nitric acid. The same brominated polynitro compounds can be obtained under analogous conditions directly from unsubstituted 9,10-phenanthrenequinone and fluorenone.     

Configurationally stable longitudinally twisted polycyclic aromatic compounds

Two strategies for the synthesis of configurationally stable twisted polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were pursued. The first approach employed dissymmetrically positioned 1-naphthyl substituents to bias the direction of twist in highly substituted PACs. 2,3-Bis(1-naphthyl)-1,4-diphenyltriphenylene (7) was prepared, and its meso cis-dinaphthyl and enantiomeric trans-dinaphthyl isomers were resolved by preparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) on chiral supports. Similarly, several naphthyl-substituted derivatives of the more highly twisted 9,10,11,12,13,14-hexaphenylbenzo[b]triphenylene (2) were prepared. Of these, 10-(1-naphthyl)-9,11,12,14-tetraphenylbenzo[b]triphenylene (13) was resolved by SFC on a chiral support. The pure enantiomers of trans-7 showed moderately large specific rotations ([alpha]D(25) = -330 and +320 degrees), but the specific rotations for the enantiomers of 13 were unexpectedly small ([alpha]D(25) = -23 and +23 degrees). Computational studies suggest that the latter result is due to presence of a minor conformation of 13 possessing a larger rotation of opposite sign than the major conformation. Both 7 and 13 showed strong circular dichroism and moderately strong circularly polarized luminescence. A byproduct of these syntheses was 9,10,19,21-tetraphenyldiphenanthro[9,10-b:9,10-h]carbazole (15), a very crowded carbazole that exhibits an 81 degree end-to-end twist but is not resolvable. In the second approach, the large, twisted, polycyclic aromatic ligand 9,10,11,12,13,14-hexaphenylbenzo[h]naphtho[2,3-f]quinoline (21, an aza-2) was used to prepare the chiral, cyclometallated iridium(III) complex 4. The ligand 21 was prepared via an unusually stable benzannulated norbornadienone, for which the free energy of activation for decarbonylation was a remarkable 33.5 kcal/mol. The iridium complex 4 proved to be configurationally stable and resolvable by analytical HPLC on chiral supports, but the low solubility of 4 prevented its resolution on a preparative scale. A much more soluble dibutyl analogue of 4 (complex 28) was then prepared, but it was not resolvable on any of the available media.     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic compounds in fish tissue

A method is presented for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs), and basic polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (PANHs) in fish. The analytical procedure includes Soxhlet extraction of prepared fish tissue with methylene chloride followed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using Bio-beads SX-3. For PAHs/PASHs, further cleanup is performed using adsorption chromatography on Florisil (5% water deactivated) and elution with hexane. For basic PANHs further cleanup of the fish extracts after GPC is achieved using liquid-liquid partitioning with 6 M hydrochloric acid and chloroform and then basifying the aqueous phase and extracting it with chloroform. Analysis of fortified fish samples was performed using capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Good agreement was observed for both methods of analysis when applied to fish samples fortified with PAHs, PASHs and basic PANHs at 0.1 to 1 microgram/g, suggesting that the method is effective at removing interfering biogenic compounds prior to analysis. Average recovery of PAHs/PASHs from fortified fish tissue was 87% and 70% for fish tissue fortified at 0.24-1.1 and 0.024-0.11 microgram/g, respectively. Average recovery for basic PANHs was 97% for fish fortified at 1.2-1.4 micrograms/g.     

Chromium-mediated synthesis of polycyclic aromatic compounds from halobiaryls

[reaction: see text] Reaction of 2,2'-dihalobiphenyl with butyllithium followed by the addition of chromium(III) chloride and alkynes afforded the corresponding phenanthrene derivatives via formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition. A variety of alkynes could be used for this reaction, such as alkyl, aryl, silyl, and alkoxycarbonyl alkynes. Repetitive process of the reaction gave more extended polycyclic compounds such as benzo[g]chrysene and azacyclopentaphenalene derivatives.     

Triflic acid promoted synthesis of polycyclic aromatic compounds

The triflic acid (CF₃SO₃H) promoted cyclizations of 2-styrylbiaryls are found to be useful for the synthesis of polycyclic aromatic compounds, including functionalized derivatives of polycyclic aromatic compounds and heterocyclic systems. The reaction involves cationic cyclization followed by an elimination of benzene from the intermediate product.     

The sulfonation of aromatic and heteroaromatic polycyclic compounds

Relative reactivities of a series of polycyclic carbo- and heteroaromatic compounds to sulfonation by sulfur trioxide in nitrobenzene are measured and discussed. The results show the following reactivity in decreasing order: indole, carbazole, pyrene, perylene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, benzene, benzothiophene, and dibenzothiophene.     

Pressurized fluid extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using silanized extraction vessels

We have investigated the extraction efficiency of a pressurized fluid extraction system using an Ottawa sand matrix, soils and a certified reference material (HS-6) spiked with the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) associated with method EPA 8100. Acceptable recoveries were achieved for all PAHs using a nominal sand concentration of 2.0 μg.g^-1. However, similar experiments that were conducted at a concentration of 0.20 μg.g^-1 afforded poor recoveries and poor reproducibility for the six-ring PAHs indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, dibenz(a)anthracene, and benzo(ghi)perylene. These were not adequately addressed by the use of indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene-d12 and benzo(g,h,i)perylene-d12 surrogates. Silanization of vessels using dichlorodimethylsilane adequately passivates the system but is only required for the high surface area retention frits. Replicate analyses at concentrations of 200 and 20 ng.g^-1 demonstrated that detection limits in the low ppb range (ng.g^-1) are achieved for Ottawa sand, dry soil and soil with moisture contents up to a mass fraction of 30 %. Such performance is consistent with the analytical requirements of the Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines. Improved analyte recoveries were also observed for the certified reference material HS-6 which were further improved by increasing extraction temperatures from 100 to 150 °C.

Solid-phase microextraction and chromatography of water samples containing aromatic compounds

A concentrator was designed for solid-phase microextraction of aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene) from water samples. The concentrator was used as an attachment to a water vapor mobile phase chromatograph with a detection limit (compounds <1 μg/l).     

Capillary column gas chromatography of environmental polycyclic aromatic compounds

The methodologies are described for isolating clean fractions of polycyclic aromatic compounds from diverse environmental samples such as air particulate matter, sediments, and fish tissue. The common step in all procedures is the separation of the polycyclic aromatic compound fraction into well-defined chemical classes by adsorption chromatography on an alumina column. These procedures greatly facilitate the detailed characterization of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur heterocycles, and nitrogen heterocycles by capillary column gas chromatography.     

Post-source decay of alkylated and functionalized polycyclic aromatic compounds

Post-source decay (PSD) is a valuable tool for providing structural information from large molecules by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). We used PSD to obtain this type of data from small molecules in the laser desorption/ionization (LDI) study of diesel engine exhaust particles. As the original nitrogen laser (lambda = 337 nm, E = 3.5 eV/photon) of our TOF mass spectrometer does not yield sufficient energy to ionize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a second laser with a shorter wavelength has been coupled to the instrument. The fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (lambda = 266 nm, 4.6 eV/photon) has been chosen to achieve two-photon single-step desorption/ionization of PAHs. The PSD fragmentation of functionalized, alkylated and sulfur PAHs is discussed. Diesel engine exhaust particles are also studied as an example of a real complex sample. This technique is presented herein as a way to identify small molecules in environmental samples. Information provided by LDI-PSD-TOFMS can be a way to distinguish pollutants with very close molecular weights even if the resolving power of a TOF mass spectrometer is not sufficient.     

Solid-phase extraction with C30 bonded silica for analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in airborne particulate matters by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using triacontyl bonded silica (C30) as sorbent was developed for the determination of 16 US Environmental Protection Agency polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in airborne particulate matters quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimization experiments were conducted using spiked standard aqueous solution of PAHs and real airborne particulates samples aiming to obtain highest SPE recoveries and extraction efficiency. Factors were studied in SPE procedures including the concentration of organic modifier, flow rate of sample loading and elution solvents. The ultrasonication time and solvents were also investigated. Recoveries were in the range of 68-107% for standard PAHs aqueous solution and 61-116% for real spiked sample. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) with standard solution were in the range of 0.0070-0.21 microgL(-1) and 0.022-0.67 microgL(-1), respectively. The optimized method was successfully applied to the determination of 16 PAHs in real airborne particulate matters.     

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.     

Ultrasonic micellar extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from marine sediments

In this present study the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from marine sediments with a micellar medium of Polyoxyethylene 10 lauryl ether by an ultrasound-assisted method has been studied. Factorial design experiments were used in order to optimize the extraction parameters: extraction time, surfactant concentration and surfactant volume:amount of sediment relationship. The results suggest that surfactant concentration is statistically the most significant factor. The analysis of extracts has been carried out by HPLC with UV detection. Fortified sediments gave an average recovery between 86.7 and 106.6%, with relative standard deviation of 2.02-6.83% for PAHs with a ring number higher than three.