Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques offer the high sensitivity and selectivity needed to accurately detect and analyze petroleum-based and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various matrices.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants produced mainly by anthropogenic processes that involve incomplete combustion of organic materials such as coal, crude oil and gasoline. However, PAHs can also be created by natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions and forest fires.

These pollutants find their way into the air during the burning of fossil fuels or other organic substances, and they also seep into soil and move through the aquatic environment through atmospheric fallout, industrial waste and oil spills, for example.¹ As such, PAHs can be found throughout the environment in air, water and soil.

Studies have found many PAHs have toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.^2-3 This raises concerns as the presence of these pollutants could taint our food chain and drinking water.^4-6 As a result, regulators such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Union have imposed stricter regulations for PAHs in air, water and soil.^7-8

PAHs, their alkylated derivatives and photo-oxidation products are traditionally analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). However, this approach has a long analytical run time and some of the polar photo-degradation products are not amenable to GC.

Effectively measure PAHs to understand environmental risks

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is an ideal technology for monitoring PAHs in environmental samples due to its ability to measure a wide scope of chemical compounds. The sensitivity of LC-MS/MS allows you to achieve a sub-parts-per-billion lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for PAH and related compounds. LC-MS/MS enables you to:

• Analyze non-volatile compounds not compatible with GC
• Achieve increased specificity not possible with UV or fluorescence detection (FLD)
  
• Experience flexible ionization modes including electrospray ionization (ESI),  atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) ,  atmospheric pressure. photoionization  (APPI) for greatest sensitivity and reduced matrix interferences

1. Wolska, L.; Mechlińska, A.; Rogowska, J.; Namieśnik, J. Sources and fate of PAHs and PCBs in the marine environment. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 2012, 42(11), 1172–1189. doi: 10.1080/10643389.2011.556546
2. Yu, H. Environmental carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: photochemistry and phototoxicity. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part C 2002, 20(2), 149–183. doi: 10.1081/gnc-120016203
   
3. Pashin, Y. V.; Bakhitova, L. M. Mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Environmental Health Perspectives 1979, 30, 185–189. doi: 10.1289/ehp.7930185
   
4. Badawy, M. I.; Embaby, M. A. Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking water in Egypt. Desalination 2010, 251(1–3), 34–40. doi: 10.1016/j.desal.2009.09.148
   
5. Karyab, H.; Yunesian, M.; Nasseri, S.; Mahvi, A. H.; Ahmadkhaniha, R.; Rastkari, N.; Nabizadeh, R. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in drinking water of Tehran, Iran. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering 2013, 11(1). doi: 10.1186/2052-336x-11-25
   
6. Zelinkova, Z.; Wenzl, T. The Occurrence of 16 EPA PAHs in food – a review. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds 2015, 35(2-4), 248–284. doi: 10.1080/10406638.2014.918550
   
7. Lerda, D. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) factsheet. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, 2012.   https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/jrcsh/files/Factsheet%20PAH_0.pdf
   
8. Kim, K.; Jahan, S. A.; Kabir, E.; Brown, R. J. A review of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their human health effects. Environment International 2013, 60, 71–80. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.07.019