3-WAY MULTIVARIATE CALIBRATION PROCEDURES APPLIED TO HIGH-PERFORMANCELIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY COUPLED WITH FAST-SCANNING FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY DETECTION - DETERMINATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS INWATER SAMPLES

Three-way partial least-squares and n factor parallel factor analysis have been compared for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon s in water samples. Data were obtained with a chromatographic system s et to record short-time chromatograms containing several unresolved pe aks. The detection system consisted of a fast-scanning fluorescence sp ectra detector, which allows one to obtain three-dimensional data, whe re retention time, emission wavelengths, and fluorescence intensity ar e represented. The combined use of a multivariate calibration method a nd the three-dimensional data obtained from the HPLC-FSFS system allow s resolution of closely eluting compounds, thus making a complete sepa ration unnecessary. The procedure has been applied to tap water sample s (spiked at 0.10 and 0.20 mu g L-1 levels) with good results, similar to those obtained with a HPLC system with a conventional fluorescence detector.