HPLC AND TLC IDENTIFICATION OF NITROGEN POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS IN AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER

Normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a semi-preparat ive Nucleosil 50-7 silica column has been used to separate nitro- and azaarenes from a dichloromethane extract of airborne particulate matte r. The isolated fractions containing nitrogen compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry and thin-layer chromatograph y. The nitro- and azaarenes were separated and identified by chromatog raphy on RP-18F(254) TLC plates by use of two mobile phases: acetonitr ile - water (nitroarenes) and methanol - water (azaarenes) in a horizo ntal sandwich DS-chamber. The detection limits of the standard compoun ds were determined. Visualization of the spots was achieved by UV illu mination at lambda = 254 and 365 nm and after specific reactions with colorimetric reagents. Nitronaphthalene, nitrofluorene, nitroanthracen e, nitropyrene, quinoline, azanuorene, and benzo(h)-quinoline were ide ntified in an extract of dust collected in a town in one of the most i ndustrialized regions of Poland.