IMPROVED DETECTION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS IN COMPLEX-MIXTURES BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC FRACTIONATION ON POLY(DIVINYLBENZENE) PRIOR TO GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY - APPLICATION TO THE ANALYSIS OF DIESEL PARTICULATES

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) are preferentially retained over other compound classes during high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC) on poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) columns with a dichloromethane mo bile phase. PAC retention during HPLC with PDVB/CH2Cl2 is governed by a multi-mode mechanism that has been previously described. This enhanc ed retention of PACs makes PDVB columns useful for isolating a PAC fra ction from highly complex mixtures such as the emissions from fossil-f uels combustion. The cleaned-up PAC fraction yields a simple chromatog ram with easily identified and quantified peaks without significant co mpound loss or danger of contamination. We illustrate the use of this clean-up method for the isolation of the PAC fraction from a standard reference diesel particulate sample. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.