FLUOROMETRIC STUDY OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN BRIJ-35 MICELLAR SOLUTION - EVALUATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN AIR SAMPLES

The fluorescence intensity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is higher in Brij-35 micellar solution than in methanol. Pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene and benzo[a]pyrene could be determined in the presence of up to a 100-fold excess of other PAHs, the errors being lower than 5%. The relative standard deviation was 5% at the pg ml-1 level. The detection limit for benzo[a]pyrene was particularly low at 4 pg ml-1. The method was applied to the determination of pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene and benzo[a]pyrene in particulate air samples; a comparison of the results with those given by gas chromatography shows the usefulness of the proposed method for evaluating these PAHs in air samples.