Retention Behaviour of Alkylated and Non-Alkylated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Different Types of Stationary Phases in Gas Chromatography

Ewa Skoczyńska,Jacob De Boer

doi:10.3390/separations6010007

Ewa Skoczyńska, Jacob De Boer

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/separations6010007

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Journal: Separations	Publication Date: Jan 29, 2019
Citations: 8	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Abstract

The gas chromatographic retention behaviour of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs on a new ionic liquid stationary phase, 1,12-di(tripropylphosphonium) dodecane bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (SLB®-ILPAH) intended for the separation of PAH mixtures, was compared with the elution pattern on more traditional stationary phases: a non-polar phenyl arylene (DB-5ms) and a semi-polar 50% phenyl dimethyl siloxane (SLB PAHms) column. All columns were tested by injections of working solutions containing 20 parental PAHs from molecular weight of 128 to 278 g/mol and 48 alkylated PAHs from molecular weight of 142 to 280 g/mol on a one dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system. The SLB PAHms column allowed separation of most isomers. The SLB®-ILPAH column showed a rather different retention pattern compared to the other two columns and, therefore, provided a potential for use in comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC×GC). The ionic liquid column and the 50% phenyl column showed good thermal stability with a low bleed profile, even lower than that of the phenyl arylene “low bleed” column.

Highlights

Present in the environment, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) originate from natural and anthropogenic incomplete combustion processes
This study investigates the retention behaviour of 20 parental PAHs from molecular weight (MW) 128 to 278 g/mol and 48 alkylated PAHs on three stationary phases
None of the three columns tested offers a complete separation of the injected PAH and methyl-PAH

Summary

Introduction

Present in the environment, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) originate from natural and anthropogenic incomplete combustion processes. They are present in air, food, water and soil. Humans are exposed to PAHs in almost every aspect of everyday life and, PAHs are among the most studied chemicals. 50 years, the procedures for the determination of individual PAHs in complex environmental mixtures have been extensively developed and improved. In 1976, 16 specific PAHs were selected for regulation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S EPA); the historical perspectives regarding the choice of these 16 EPA PAHs can be found in an article by Keith [1]

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