CETYLPYRIDINIUM CHLORIDE MICELLES AS A SELECTIVE FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING SOLVENT MEDIA FOR DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN ALTERNANT VERSUS NONALTERNANT POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS

Fluorescence behavior of 41 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) di ssolved in aqueous micellar cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) sol vent media and in five different cetyltrimethylammonium chloride + cet ylpyridinium chloride (CPC) surfactant mixtures is reported. Experimen tal fluorescence measurements reveal that CPC is a selective fluoresce nce quenching agent for alternant PAHs. The cetylpyridinium ion effect ively quenched emission intensities of the 21 alternant PAHs studied. Emission intensities of nonalternant PAHs, with a few noted exceptions , were unaffected by the presence of CPC in the mixed cationic surfact ant micelles. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.