Comparison Between Different Extraction (LLE and SPE) and Determination (HPLC and Capillary‐LC) Techniques in the Analysis of Selected PAHs in Water Samples

Abstract

In this work, the extraction of 9 out of 16 PAHs pollutants according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedures, was studied through liquid‐liquid extraction (LLE) and solid‐phase extraction (SPE). The analysis of PAHs was made by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), using both a Supelcosil LC 18 (25 cm×4.6 mm, 5 µm) column operating in the conventional HPLC mode and a capillary column (20 cm×0.25 mm, 5 µm), packed in house with Spherisorb ODS‐2 particles and operating in the capillary liquid chromatography (c‐LC) mode. Of the extraction techniques used, LLE revealed itself to be efficient in the extraction of the higher‐molecular‐weight PAHs, while SPE was adequate for the extraction of all PAHs. HPLC revealed to be more sensitive than c‐LC in the detection of PAHs in the sample concentration. However, since in c‐LC the dilution of the compounds in the mobile phase is less, the mass sensitivity was significantly higher than that obtained with conventional HPLC (that is important when a limited sample amount is available). In the real water samples analyzed no PAH was found under the analytical conditions used.