1479 (15) Colby, B. N.; Rosecrance, A. E.; Colby, M. E. Anal. Chem. 1981, 53, (16) Glaser, J. A.; Foerst, D. L.; McKee, G. D.; Quave, s. A,; Budde, W. L. (13) Budde, W. L.: Eichelberger, J. W. "Performance Tests for the Evaluament and Laboratories"; Environmental Protection Agency Report EPA-600/4-80-025, April 1980. (14) Sauter, A. D.; Betowskl, L. D.: Smith, T. R.; Strickler, V. A,; Belmer, R. G.; Colby, B. N.; Wllkinson, J. E. HRC CC J . High Resolut. Chromatogr. Chromatogr. Commun, 1981, 4 , 366-384. tion of Computerized Gas ChromatographylMass Spectrometry Equip-1907-1 91 1 I Envrron. Sci. Techno/. 1981, 15, Recent studles trave reported selectlvlty dlfferences for POlycyclic aromatllc hydrocarbons (PAH) on dlff erent octadecylsllane (C18) reversed-phase llquld chromatographlc columns. I n this paper the differences in llquld chromatographic selectlvllty for various Cts columns were correlated with dlfferences In C,, surface coverage data (as determlned from elemental rinalysis and specific surface area measurements on the C,, modlfled slllca). Slgnlflcant dlfferences In selectlvlty were observed for selected PAH and polyphenyl arenes on monornerlc vs,, polymeric C,, materials. Selectlvlty factors for 50 PAH, alkyksubstltuted PAH, polyphenyl arenes, and polycycllc aromatic sulfur heterocycles were determlned on columns from the same manufacturer from seven dlfferent lots of C,, material with dlfferent C,, surface concentratlons.I n addltlon to priovldlng information concerning the contrlbutlon of C18 surface coverage to retentlon rind selectlvlty In the LC separatlon olf these compounds, these studies provide useful Information regarding the selectlon of the approprlate column to optlniize the separatlon of 'selected polycycllc aromatlc compounds.Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) on chemically bonded octadecylsilane (C18) stationary phases is by far the most popular LC mode for the separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Reversed-phase LC on Cls phases provides excellent selectivity for the separation of PAH isomers and alkyl-substituted PAH isomers ( I ) . Recently, reversed-phase LC on C18 columns has been specified as the method of choice for the analysis of aqueous effluents for the determination of the 16 PAH on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's priority pollutant list (2). In addition to the environmental interest in the determination of PAN by LC, PAH are excellent nonpolar solutes for use in the investigation of reversed-phase LC retention mechanisms.Since Schmit et al. (3) i h t described the separation of PAN on a chemically bonded CI8 phase in 1971, numerous reports of LC retention data for PAH on various C18 columns have appeared. Recent studies by Wise et al. (4), Ogan and Katz (5,6), Colmsjo arid MacDonald (7), and Amos (8) found that Cl8 columns from various manufacturertr not only provided different separation efficiencies but often provided different selectivities and iretention characteristics for PAH. In these studies, attention was focused on three groups of...