1979 Volume 25 Issue 5 Pages 262-267
This report describes a simple determination method for benzo [α] pyrene in various dust. The procedure is as follows : Dust is extracted with hexane or toluene by shaking or ultrasonic extraction. The extract is purified through alumina column (1×30 cm) containing 1% water, and the column is eluted with hexane : ether (2 : 1). Benzo [α] pyrene is then determined by fluorophotometry (exc. 365 or 383 nm ; em. 403±3 nm). In the case of tabacco smoke, the extract was partitioned with dimethyl-sulfoxide before column chromatography. The recovery of benzo [α] pyrene by the proposed method was 87-93% for airborne particulates and 97% for other dust (except for the soil sample extracted by the ultrasonic method). Benzo [α] pyrene was detected at the levels of 12.5±10.3 μg/g in airborne particulates, 1.6-7.1 μg/g in tabacco smoke, 1.3-9.1 μg/g in other smoke and vapor, 0.13±0.08 μg/g in the dust deposited in a living room, and 0.015-0.097 μg/g in surface soil.
