Identification of nitroaromatics in diesel exhaust particulate using gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry and other techniques

Abstract

A series of nitroaromatic compounds were identified in diesel exhaust particulate extract. Isomers of nitroanthracene (and/or nitrophenanthrene) and nitropyrene (and/or nitrofluoranthene) were unequivocally identified. Alkyl homologues of nitroanthracene through C/sub 3/-alkyl-nitroanthracene were tentatively identified. In addition, a C/sub 18/H/sub 11/NO/sub 2/ isomer was tentatively identified. The nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in two fractions of diesel exhaust particulate extract collected from a low-pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) column. One of the two fractions containing nitroaromatic constitutents accounted for a large percentage of the mutagenicity of the crude particulate extract. Initial identification were made by using high-resolution gas chromatography/electron impact mass spectrometry/computer (GC/EIMS) and negative ion chemical ionization mass specrometry/computer (GC/NICIMS). These identifications were confirmed by direct probe high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and gas chromatography/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (GC/FT IR). The relative merit of each analytical technique for the determination of nitroaromatics is discussed with emphasis on the usefulness of GC/NICIMS as a means of analyzing for nitro-substituted PAHs.