Development and certification of a coal fly ash certified reference material for selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The development and certification of a coal fly ash certified reference material (CRM) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is described; this is the first natural matrix CRM for organic environmental analysis in China. The homogeneity and stability of this material have been tested by HPLC. The concentrations of several PAH were determined by use of two independent, different methods – solvent extraction–HPLC analysis with UV detection coupled with fluorescence detection (FLD) and solvent extraction, isolation with a silica column, and GC analysis with flame ionization detection (FID). Five certified values were determined: phenanthrene 7.1 ± 2.6 μg g^–1, anthracene 2.0 ± 0.8 μg g^–1, fluoranthene 7.4 ± 1.9 μg g^–1, pyrene 7 ± 2 μg g^–1, and benzoa]pyrene 1.3 ± 0.3 μg g^–1. Reference values for several other PAH are also suggested.