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Abstract
A fast room-temperature extraction by mechanical shredding of airborne particulate material collected on Hi-Vol filters is described. The polar compounds in the extract are quickly removed by test-tube adsorption. A group separation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is made on Corning controlled pore ceramic alumina in stainless steel columns with methylene chloride in cyclohexane as the solvent. The pentacyclic fraction is taken at the same elution time as BaP and is evaporated to dryness under a stream of nitrogen. BaP is determined fluorometrically in concentrated sulfuric acid at F 538/553. It can also be dissolved in a polar solvent and separated and quantitated by reverse phase HPLC or gas chromatography. Total analysis time is approximately 2 hours, much of which is waiting time.