Solvent effects on extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient aerosol samples

Abstract

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the ambient particulate matter pose one of the most important issues in the focus of environmental management. The concentration of their representative, Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), undergoes limitations according to European Union directive. However, a successful control over the pollution levels and their sources is limited by the high uncertainty of analytical and statistical approaches used for their characterization. Here we compare differences in PAH concentrations related to the use of different solvents in the course of ultrasonic extraction of a certified reference material (PM10-like PAH mixture) and filter samples of ambient particulate matter collected in Austria for the CG-MS PAH analysis. Using solvents of increasing polarity: Cyclohexane (0,006), Toluene (0,099), Dichloromethane (0,309), Acetone (0,43) and Acetonitrile (0,460), as well as mixtures of those, filters representing high and low concentrations of particulate matter were investigated. Although some scatter of the obtained concentrations was observed no trend related to the polarity of the solvent became visible. Regarding the reproducibility, which can be expected of PAH analysis no significant difference between the different solvents was determined. This result is valid for all compounds under investigation.