Densitometric TLC analysis of azaarenes in grilled meat

A TLC method with densitometric detection is described for qualitative and quantitative analysis of seven azaarenes - acridine, benzo(h)quinoline, benzo(a)acridine (with benzo(f)quinoline), benzo(c)acridine, dibenzo(a,c)acridine, dibenzo(a,j)acridine (with phenanthridine), and dibenzo(a,h)acridine. The compounds were separated on RP-18/UV plates, in a horizontal chamber, with dichloromethane-n-hexane-2-propanol, 6:4:0.1 (v/v), as mobile phase. Quantification of the azaarenes was performed densitometrically by measurement of fluorescence intensity at 380 nm. Limits of determination were from 0.04 to 0.30 ng per spot. The method was used for analysis of the azaarenes in an extract of grilled meat after multistage clean-up based on tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) on columns packed with Extrelut diatomaceous earth and the cation exchanger propylsulfonic acid (PRS). The concentrations of the benzoacridine and dibenzoacridine isomers were in the range 0.2 to 2.9 ng g(-1) meat. The limits of determination in meat were 0.1 ng g(-1) for benzo(a)acridine, benzo(c)acridine, dibenzo(a,h)acridine, and dibenzo(a,j)acridine, 0.2 ng g(-1) for dibenzo(a,c)acridine, and 0.6 ng g(-1) for benzo(h)quinoline.