QUECHERS (quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe) like extraction procedures as an alternative for the analysis of PAHS and PAH derivatives (NPAHS, OPAHS, CL-PAHS)) in particulate ambient air and emission samples
Abstract
Alternative extraction procedures based on a QuEChERS approach (Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe) were developed for the measurement of PAHs and PAH derivatives (nitrated, oxygenated and chlorinated-PAHs) associated to particulate matter from ambient air or combustion processes. The procedures are based on a short mechanical agitation (vortex) using a small volume of solvent (< 10 ml) and including, if necessary, a purification step by solid phase extraction (SPE) or dispersive-SPE (d-SPE). Different extraction parameters were optimized like agitation time, solvent nature, adsorbent for purification, etc. Equivalent extraction efficiencies were obtained when comparing the QuEChERS and the traditional pressurised solvent extraction procedures (PLE; ASE ) for ambient air and emission (wood combustion) filter samples. QuEChERS extraction protocols were validated with the analysis of certified materials (NIST SRM 1649a, urban dust or SRM 2787, fine urban particulate matter). Compared with solvent based extractions methods (including PLE), the QuEChERS extraction procedures allow to minimize experimental errors, to decrease significantly the extraction costs (by a 5-fold factor) and to increase the productivity (10 times more samples proceeded per working day). No costly investment and system maintenance are required and, QuEChERS-like approaches seemed fully adapted to the analysis of many particle-bound organic compounds.