Abstract
We have studied on microanalytical methods for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental air. Three analytical methods are reviewed in this paper.
The first method consists of the following 4 procedures ; collection of air-born particulates by high volume air sampler, selective extraction of PAHs by vacuum sublimation, separation of the extract into each component by two-dimensional dual band thin-layer chromatography, and identification and determination of the separated compound by spectrofluorometry. This method is useful to microanalysis of many PAHs in air-born particulates. It was found by this method that air-born particulates contained 80 or more PAHs. At present, 31 PAHs including 12 carcinogens and 4 promoting agents have been identified.
The 2nd method is useful to routine analysis of 8-12 PAHs in air-born particulates. This method consists of collection of particulates, vacuum sublimation, one-dimensional dual band thin-layer chromatography, and spectrofluorometry. By this method, it was demonstrated that benzo (a) pyrene contents in Tokyo air correlated significantly with the other 11 PAHs. The 3rd method is a rapid analytical method of benzo (a) pyrene, which consists of collection of particulates, ultrasonic extraction, one-dimensional dual band thin-layer chromatography, and spectrofluorometry. The ultrasonic extraction makes it possible to extract benzo (a) pyrene in 50 or more samples at once for about 20 min. This method is then useful to determining benzo (a) pyrene in many samples in a short time.
This paper describes also several results concerning PAHs pollution of Tokyo and Kawasaki air, which are obtained by the analytical mcthods above mentioned.
