Comparison of ultrasonic and pressurized liquid extraction for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic compounds in soil samples by gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 156 - 164
• Main Authors: Barco-Bonilla, N., Vidal, J.L. Martínez, Garrido Frenich, A., Romero-González, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15-04-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; Gas chromatographic methods; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods; GC–MS/MS; PAHs; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - isolation & purification; Pressure; Pressurized liquid extraction; Soil - analysis; Soils; Solvents; Spain; Spectrometric and optical methods; Ultrasonic extraction; Ultrasonics; GC–MS/MS; Pressurized liquid extraction; Soils; PAHs; Ultrasonic extraction; Fluorene; Sonication; Phenanthrene; Hydrocarbon; Liquid liquid extraction; Chrysene; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Solvent extraction; Quadrupole spectrometer; Chemical enrichment; Gas chromatography; Pyrene; Naphthalene; Sample preparation; Efficiency; Detection limit; Mass spectrometry MS/MS; GC-MS/MS; Mass spectrometry; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2008.10.048

A pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) method has been optimized for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil samples and it was compared with ultrasonic extraction. The extraction step was followed by gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–QqQ-MS/MS) analysis. Parameters such as type of solvent, extraction time, extraction temperature and number of extractions were optimized. There were no significant differences among the two extraction methods although better extraction efficiencies were obtained when PLE was used, minimizing extraction time and solvent consumption. PLE procedure was validated, obtaining limits of detection (LODs) ranging from 0.02 to 0.75
μg
kg
−1 and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranging from 0.07 to 2.50
μg
kg
−1 for the selected PAHs. Recoveries were in the range of 59–110%, except for naphthalene, which was the most volatile PAH. Finally, the method was applied to real soil samples from Southeast of Spain. PAHs concentrations were low, and phenanthrene, pyrene, fluorene, benzo[
a]pyrene and chrysene were the most frequently detected analytes in the samples.