Separation of important PCBs and PAHs on a prototype smectic liquid-crystalline polysiloxane stationary phase capillary column

Abstract

A prototype smectic liquid-crystalline polysiloxane GC column was tested as stationary phase for the separation of 7 BCR PCBs and 16 EPA PAH compounds. The separation efficiency on the smectic phase was much higher for both groups compared to a non-polar stationary phase column of the DB-5 type. Moreover non-ortho substituted (coplanar) PCBs were well separated from the mono-ortho and diortho PCBs and appeared as a late eluting group. Finally the smectic column is very useful for qualitative analysis of PAHs containing extracts.