Direct determination of selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in a coal liquefaction product by synchronous luminescence techniques

Synchronous fluorescence and the room-temperature phosphorescence methods were used to determine selected polynuclar aromatic hydrocarbons in a coal liquid (solvent-refined coal) product without a preseparation step. The procedure identified and quantified ten polynuclear aromatic compounds including anthracene, 2,3-benzofluorene, benzoa]pyrene, benzoe]pyrene, carbazole, dibenzothiophene, fluoranthene, fluorene, perylene and pyrene. Standard deviations for repeated determinations ranged from 10–30% for concentrations in the range of 0.1–6 mg g^-1. The data obtained by these methods agree with results by other methods within the estimated experimental uncertainty.