Chromatographic Methods for the Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water Systems

I. INTRODUCTION

A number of analytical techniques have become available for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water systems. The concentration of PAHs in water systems ranges from the ppt(ng/l) to the ppm(mg/l) level so that a preconcentration step prior to analysis is always required. In samples from heavily polluted waters, a cleanup step to separate the PAHs from the other organic solutes is necessary. The PAHs most commonly encountered in water systems are listed in Table 1. Two approaches are possible: (1) an initial Chromatographic separation followed by identification, or (2) a total analysis by spectroscopy. In general the complexity of the sample limits the advantages of the one-step spectroscopic approach. The details of spectroscopic analysis as applied to PAHs will be discussed in a later publication.