APPLICATION OF HEADSPACE GC MS SCREENING AND GENERAL PARAMETERS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN GROUNDWATER SAMPLES/

Groundwater samples from a former gas plant site were investigated by headspace GC/MS and general parameters with regard to organic pollutio n. The contamination plume was distinguished from background with GC/M S headspace and dissolved organic carbon analyses. Headspace GC/MS ana lyses of these samples revealed the presence of several aromatic and h eterocyclic compounds typical to coal tar leachates. Selected ion moni toring GC/MS was used to establish the relative contamination level of seven selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from 9 sampling wells. Three wells showed a high contamination level and therefore, t hey could be attributed to the vicinity of contamination sources. Well samples downgradient from the pollution source showed decreasing cont amination levels for all compounds except acenaphthene.