Application of microemulsions for the extraction, pre-concentration of PAHs as a tool for fast screening of perspective oil chemical markers

Abstract

A simple method for the determination of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from geological cores as oil markers using microemulsion extraction, pre-concentration with following fluorometric detection was developed. Parameters, such as the composition of microemulsion (ME), temperature, pH, which affect the intensity of fluorescence were investigated and optimized. The potential of the developed technique has been demonstrated by the determination of these PAHs in oil and oil cores. The calculated pre-concentration factor using microemulsion (3.3% CTAB, 0.8% heptane, 8% n-butanol and 87.9% water) varies from 5 to 10. The main parameters that influence the intensity of fluorescence are the charge of a surfactant and the nature of the oil. The limits of detection ranged between 10–50 μg/kg.