Determination of Benzo [a] pyrene in Petroleum Waxes and Synthetic Waxes

Abstract

The determination of benzo[a]pyrene, a typical carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbon, in petroleum wax (paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax) and synthetic wax (polyolefin wax) was examined. This hydrocarbon was extracted by a specially designed apparatus and determined by fluorospectrometry after clean-up by alumina column chromatography. The recoveries averaged 94.8%, 91.6% and 88.9% respectively, for benzo[a]pyrene of 200, 20, and 2 ppb in 25 g of wax. Analysis of 31 specimens of commercially available petroleum wax showed that benzo[a]pyrene was not detected in 21 specimens and that, in the remaining 10 specimens, the maximum was 48.24 ppb and the mean was 2.85 ppb. As to synthetic wax, benzo[a]pyrene was detected in 6 out of 8 specimens with the maximum of 25.00 ppb and the mean of 4.64 ppb.