A simplified analysis of major polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in airborne particulates

Abstract

A simplified analysis of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in airborne particulates was investigated by direct extraction from a glass fiber filter using organic solvent, followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Airborne particulates were collected on a glass fiber filter (20×25, cm) by a Hi-volume air sampler and a part of the filter (diameter, 16mm) was attached to a cellulose filter by continuous development with ethyl ether for 20min. The separated PAHs spot on the filter was cut off and put into a small test tube and then redissolved in 1ml of acetonitrile.The PAHs in the extracted acetonitrile solution were analyzed by a reversed phase HPLC equipped with a spectrofluorometer.Recovery rates of PAHs from airborne particulates with the same fluorescence condition (Ex. 368nm, Em. 406nm) using HPLC were 98.7% for benzo [a] pyrene (BaP), 99.3% for benzo [k] fluoranthene (BkF) and 96.1% for benzo [ghi] perylene (BghiP).Extraction rates of PAHs in an airborne particulate by using organic solvents were different. The extractible order was as follows, ether > dichloromethane > acetone > tetrahydrofurane > acetonitrile > benzene > ethanol. Ether solvent thus is superior to other solvents for extraction and volatility. Futhermore, it was also proved that distribution of BaP, BkF and BghiP in the cellulose filter was nearly uniform. A test sample was recovered by removing organic substances in the airborne particulates by the ether development. Recovery rates of PAHs ranged from 98.8 to 100.7% for BaP, 97.7-99.5% for BkF and 99.0-103.0% for BghiP. When this method was applied to the determination of BaP, BkF and BghiP in airborne particulates, the analytical data were in good agreement with those by a coventional method; ultrasonic extraction-HPLC method. In this method, extraction carried out on a cellulose filter could recover PAHs sufficiently and does not extracted micro particles, which effects on the separation column, from glass fiber filter collected airborne particulates. Therefore, in this method several kinds of PAHs in airborne particulates including carcinogenic BaP can be analyzed easily and efficiently.