Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water. Part I: Evaluation of Existing Analytical Methods. Recovery Studies

摘要

The report describes recovery studies for different methods for the analysis of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PNA) in water. Direct liquid/liquid extraction of water and adsorption of PNA to a polymeric material have been tried. Different solvents have been tried in the elution (extraction) of the polymer as well as experiments both with gravimetric elution and continuous extraction. The result is a method which is applicable to any kind of water sample and which is based on absorption to an organic polymer. Practical details of the analytical procedure is given in a separate report, part II (Nordic PAH-project Report No. 5). The apparatus in use is a modified Soxhlet apparatus for the cleaning of the resin, adsorption of organics from water and continuous extraction without drying of the resin, and regeneration of the resin. The extract is further cleaned by liquid/liquid extractions and the components are finally separated by high resolution gas chromatography on glass capillary columns. Several samples of Norwegian drinking water have been analyzed indicating a level of tar compounds which is well below the standard recommended by The World Health Organization.