A quaternary solvent system for the reverse‐phase liquid‐chromatographic separation of polycyclic aromatics

Abstract

AbstractModern liquid chromatographic (LC) conditions which effect a separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) containing up to ten rings are described. The LC conditions include reverse‐phase chromatographic columns in combination with a quaternary solvent system. Methanol and water are combined to form solvent system A, while tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile form solvent system B. Solvent systems A and B are then combined in a linear gradient relationship to effect the separation. The separation of benzo(a)pyrene and perylene along with benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno (1,2,3‐cd)pyrene is achieved. In the same chromatogram the PAHs, coronene, dibenzo(a,e), (a,i), (a,h)pyrene and tribenzo(a,e,i)pyrene are also separated. An increase in column temperature from 45°C to 55°C is shown to shorten the elution time and increase chromatographic resolution of many of the PAHs examined. At least 25 PAHs ranging in molecular weight from 178 to 536 are examined for their chromatographic behavior. As examples, the application of this method to samples from a coal liquefication process are included. The samples are examined with both a UV detector and fluouescence detector to demonstrate the utility of dual detectors when analyzing for PAHs in complex matrices. With minor modification of the gradient this method is applicable to PAHs containing ring systems other than those reported here.