Laser-induced dispersed fluorescence detection of polycyclic aromatic compounds in soil extracts separated by capillary electrochromatography

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrogen containing aromatic co mpounds (NCACs) are characterized in soil extracts and laboratory standards by capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with laser-induced dispersed fluo rescence (LIDF) detection using a liquid-nitrogen cooled charge-coupled dev ice detector. The LIDF detection technique provides information on compound identity and, when coupled with the high separation efficiencies of the CE C technique, proves useful in the analysis of complex mixtures. Differences in fluorescence spectra also provide a means of identifying co-eluting com pounds by using deconvolution algorithms. Detection limits range from 0.5 t o 96x10(-10) M for selected PAHs and 0.9-3.7x10(-10) M for selected NCACs. Soil extracts are also injected onto the CEC column to evaluate chromatogra phic method performance with respect to complex samples and the ability to withstand exposure to environmental samples. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.