Application of solid-phase extraction discs with a glass fiber matrix to fast determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water

Abstract

The extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water with solid-phase extraction (SPE) discs on a glass fiber matrix has been less studied than other systems such as SPE column extraction or the carbofluor matrix discs. In this paper we have studied SPE discs with a glass fiber matrix (SPE disc GFM) to extract PAHs from aqueous samples, which have then been separated and detected with high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. We have found that the proposed method of analysis allows us to obtain detection limits of 0.1 ng/l for benzo[ a]pyrene and a variation of 6% in the recovery of said compound at the level of 1 ng/l, and it complies with the required specifications for PAHs in the EU Directive draft on drinking water. The use of GFM discs allows us to shorten the extraction times of PAHs by between 3 and 12 times in comparison with other SPE systems. They can concentrate volume samples of up to 1 l, with PAH recoveries at the level of 1–2 ng/l higher than 80±10% and detection limits of between 0.1–2 ng/l, depending on the compound studied.