Simultaneous detection of chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ClPAHs), including polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), are hazardous and widespread in the environment, but studies of these substances in the wastewater environment are lacking. In this study, five typical PCNs and five typical ClPAHs (other than PCNs) were simultaneously detected along with their parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater samples. All these compounds could be analyzed by gas chromatography– electron ionization mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode and separated on a DB-17ms column. Calibration curves were created both in pure solvent and in wastewater matrix samples. The coefficients of determination for most compounds were greater than 0.99, indicating a satisfactory degree of linearity in the complex matrix samples. The influence of the matrix on the true concentrations of the environmental samples was corrected by use of the matrix calibration curve. The recoveries of all compounds were between 58% and 127%, with standard deviations lower than 20%. The method detection and quantification limits were less than 27.6 ng/L and less than 91.9 ng/L respectively in the aqueous phase, and less than 0.18 ng/L and less than 0.61 ng/L respectively in the solid phase of 4-L wastewater samples. This analytical method was successfully used to detect PCNs and ClPAHs in the water from a river receiving effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. The concentrations of each compound ranged from 3.1 to 29.6 ng/L. This method could also be used for detection of other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives with similar physical and chemical properties in different matrix samples.