Development and Validation of Analytical Approaches for the Determination of High-Molecular-Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MW>300) in Complex Matrix Standard Reference Materials

Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship J 1952 Analysis of high-molecular-weight PAHs in environm. samples Patricia SCHUBERT 26.6.2000 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitously distributed in our environment and represent one of the most important groups of environmental contaminants. Although highmolecular-weight PAHs (MW > 300) have shown to exhibit highly mutagenic and carcinogenic activity they have not been extensively studied. There not only is paucity in identification due to large number of isomers but also a lack of studies dealing with the quantification of these substances. An accurate, precise and robust analytical method is needed for the determination of high- molecular-weight PAHs in a variety of environmental samples such as sediments, soils, biological tissues and air particulate, in order to examine the level of contamination and to estimate the potential ecotoxicological risk originating from these substances. The objective of this project is the development of analytical approaches for the determination of high-molecularweight PAHs, which will be based on multidimensional liquid chromatographic separation and final detection with both fluorescence detection (BIPLC-FLD) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS). The two approaches will be compared in terms of analytical characteristics and will be used for their validation. The two independent methods will then be applied to the certification of high-molecular-weight PAHs in NIST standard reference materials, which will will provide the first certified values for these substances.