A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for determining polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzo (a) pyrene (BaP), benzo (b) fluoranthene (BbF), benzo (k) fluoranthene (BkF) and benzo (ghi) perylene (BghiP) in airborne particulate matter (SPM) . Particurate samples were sampled for 1 hour by using a β-ray attenuation SPM monitor. The PAHs components in the sample were extracted with benzene/ethanol (3/1), cleaned up by the use of Sep-Pak Silica and then determined by HPLC. Each PAH was separated from unknown species derived from the filter, with the mobile phase of acetonitrile/methanol/water (50/35/15) . The detection limits were 3lpg/m
l for BaP, 78pg/ml for BbF, 43pg/m
lfor BkF and 44pg/m
lfor BghiP. The NBS standard sample could be analyzed for the four PAHs with analytical accuracy of +1, 3--14%. This method was useful for determining the PAHs in SPM sampled for one hour by the SPM monitor.
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