Determination of Trace Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments of Huangpu River Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A method using high performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (PDA) for qualitative and quantitative analysis of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of Huangpu River (China) was developed. The identifications for 16 PAHs were confirmed not only by their retention times, but also by their ultraviolet spectra obtained from PDA. Furthermore, the isomers of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and benzo[e]pyrene in sediment samples were identified and differentiated based on their difference in ultraviolet spectra. The detection wavelengths for quantitative analysis of 16 PAHs were optimized to reduce interference and enhance signal intensity. The detection limits for 16 PAHs ranged from 1.1 to 18.3 ng/g (dry weight, dw), and the recoveries for spiked samples in environmental samples ranged around 87%–113%. With good sensitivity and accuracy, this method was successfully applied to the analysis of the surface sediments of Huangpu River. With the exception of acenaphthylene, fifteen PAHs were determined with concentrations ranging from 10.1 to 250.6 ng/g (dw). And relative standard deviation values for the concentrations of PAHs in environmental samples were less than 10%.