Recent developments in sorbent based water samples treatments prior GC-MS analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are omnipresent contaminants of the environment, with evidenced harmful effects to human health. Especially endangered are waters, which may affect biota directly or by enabling transport through all environmental compartments. Therefore, constant monitoring of PAHs content in waters is of essential importance. Before most of the analysis, sample preparation is compulsory. Conventional extraction techniques are often time and reagents consuming and not following the rules of “green analytical chemistry”. Thus, miniaturization of classic extraction methods is of high importance to reduce solvent volumes, waste, time of treatment and cost. Recent sample preparation techniques, such as solid phase extraction (SPE), microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), solid phase microextraction (SPME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) and dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-µ-SPE) were proven as suitable for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples and their determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These sample pretreatments are following “green chemistry” principles, offering the simplicity of operation, reducing costs and time of preparation, without compromising the general analytical parameters of the applied analytical method.