Pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry used for screening polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by desorption from sediment

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was evaluated as a fast economical screening technique for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples. A platinum filament pyroprobe was used for the analyses of PAHs ranging from naphthalene to benzo[a]pyrene. The effects of different temperatures, gas flows and times, solution port injections and interface injections, packed quartz tubes, open boats and ribbon volatilization were considered. The PAHs were thermally desorbed from sediment samples without any pretreatment. Retention times, quantitation masses, and mass spectra fit/purity and reverse fit/purity ratios were used for compound identification. The current method proved to be appropriate for compounds ranging from naphthalene to pyrene (95% confidence level of reported results). Comparison of experimental results with certified values showed higher values for the analysis performed with Py-GC/MS instrumentation.