A Fundamental Study on the Characteristics of Concentration Using a Blue Chitin Column for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water

Abstract

In order to evaluate the contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to mutagenicity of concentrates from water, the adsorption, elution and recovery behavior of 26 PAHs bearing 3 to 6 rings were investigated by the Blue Chitin column method. The adsorption rates of 22 PAHs, having three or more fused rings, to Blue Chitin were over 90%. Elution rates of PAHs with 4 and 5 rings and nitroarenes (NO2-PAHs) adsorbed on Blue Chitin were 50-70% with 100ml of methanol-ammonia (CH3OH-NH4OH) (50 : 1). However, elution rates of PAHs with 3 and 6 rings and aminoarenes (NH2-PAHs) were 0-40% with 100ml of the same mixed eluate. However, additional elution with 20ml of dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) following the elution with 100ml of CH3OH-NH4OH (50 : 1) raised the elution ratio by 10-30%. Elution employing CH2Cl2 was thus more effective for elution of PAHs adsorbed to Blue Chitin. Using this preconcentration method on a modified Blue Chitin column, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz [a] anthracene, chrysene, benzo [b]-fluoranthene, benzo [k] fluoranthene, benzo [a] pyrene and dibenz [a, h] anthracene in effluent water and fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo [k] fluoranthene in river water were detected. In summary, this preconcentration method using a modified Blue Chitin column was useful for concentration of PAHs and NO2-PAHs with 4 and 5 rings from environmental water.