Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons extracted from air particulate matter using a temperature programmable injector coupled to GC–C–IRMS†

Abstract

Compound specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) can provide information about the origin of analysed compounds – in this case, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In the study, PAHs were extracted from three dust samples: winter and summer filter dust and tunnel dust. The measurement was performed using the method validated in our laboratory using pure, solid compounds and EPA 610 reference assortment. CSIA required an appropriate clean-up method to avoid an unresolved complex in the gas chromatographic analysis usually found in the chromatography of PAHs. Extensive sample clean-up for this particular matrix was found to be necessary to obtain good gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis results. The sample purification method included two steps in which the sample is cleaned up and the aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons are separated. The concentration of PAHs in the measured samples was low; so a large volume injection technique (100 μl) was applied. The δVPDB 13C was measured with a final uncertainty smaller than 1 ‰. Comparison of the δVPDB 13C signatures of PAHs extracted from different dust samples was feasible with this method and, doing so, significant differences were observed.