Manual solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is applied for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from natural matrix through a distilled water medium. Seven of the 16 PAH standards (naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene) are spiked on a marine muddy sediment. The samples, containing PAHs in the range of 10-20 ppm, are then aged at room temperature more than 10 days before analysis. The influence of the matrix, SPME adsorption time, pH, salt content, and SPME adsorption temperature are investigated. The reproducibility of the technique is less than 13% (RDS) for the first 6 considered PAHs and 28% (RDS) for benzo(a)anthracene with a fiber containing a 100-micron poly dimethylsiloxane coating. Linearity extended in the range of 5-50 picograms for PAHs direct injection, 5-70 picograms for PAHs in water, and 1-170 picograms for PAHs in sediment. The detection limit is estimated less than 1 microgram/kg of dry sample for the first 6 considered PAHs in sediment and 1.5 micrograms/kg of dry sample for benzo(a)anthracene using the selected ion monitoring mode in GC-MS. The recoveries of the considered PAHs are evaluated.

Manual solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is investigated as a possible alternative for the determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils. Spiked onto an agricultural soil is a commercial diesel fuel (DF) with the following composition by weight: 12% linear alkanes, 52% saturated hydrocarbons (branched and cyclic), 21% alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, 6% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and 9% unidentified compounds. The spiked soil samples are aged three days at room temperature before analysis. The optimal conditions for the SPME of DF from soils are examined and maximum sensitivity is obtained using a 100-microm polydimethylsiloxane fiber at a sampling temperature of 47 degrees C by sonication both in the headspace and directly through a water medium. The reproducibility of the whole technique showed a relative standard deviation of 10%. The parameters that can influence the recovery of DF (such as the time of SPME extraction, the presence of organic solvent and water, and the matrix) are investigated. The linearity is verified in the range of 40 to 1200 mg/L for the direct injection of DF, 0.1 to 1 mg/L for the SPME of DF from water, and 1 to 50 mg/Kg of dry soil for the SPME of DF from soils. The detection limits are respectively 0.5 mg/L, 0.02 mg/L, and 0.1 mg/Kg of dry soil. The method is corroborated by comparing the results with those obtained by the traditional way.

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for determining polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental solid matrices is developed. Investigated matrices include seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida and Himanthalia elongata), humic substances (isolated from a wetland out-flow and purchased from Aldrich), and soil. Optimal conditions for a good SPME efficiency of 16 hydrocarbon compounds are obtained using a 100- micro m polydimethylsiloxane fiber directly immersed in aqueous carrier medium. The method is remarkable for presenting short extraction times and considerably high sensitivities. The SPME results obtained by using internal calibration give the total analyte concentration based on the identical partitioning behavior of native and spiked pollutants. The detection limits range from 0.001 to 0.1 mg of PAH per kilogram of dry matrix. SPME external calibration provides information regarding freely dissolved analytes. The detection limits range from 0.001 to 0.05 micro g of PAH per liter of carrier medium. The SPME with external calibration procedure can be applied to measure free concentrations of a target compound spiked into a carrier medium and onto a matrix. Based on a comparison of results obtained for the two samples, the partitioning of the target analyte between the matrix and the carrier medium is calculated.

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A sonication method is compared with a microwave-assisted extraction method for recovering polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons from seaweed and acid humic samples. Different extracting solvents and adsorbents for the purification step are tested. For the sonication extraction, 10 g of the sample are extracted in an ultrasonic bath (60 degrees C for 15 min with 20 mL of hexane). For the microwave-assisted extraction two steps are carried out, each step at 90 degrees C under pressure in closed vessels with 20 mL of hexane for 10 min at 950 W. A clean-up step is performed for both extraction techniques. The results indicate that the recovery of hydrocarbons is dependent on both the extraction technique and the type of matrix. The most suitable technique appears to be sonication employing hexane as the extraction solvent. The recoveries obtained for aliphatic hydrocarbons are higher than those achieved for the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, with values ranging within 81-109% and 40-76%, respectively.