ONLINE COUPLED LG-GC-ITD/MS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ALKYLATED, OXYGENATED, AND NITRATED POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS IN URBAN AIR PARTICULATE EXTRACTS

A method has been developed to identify oxygenated, nitrated, and alkylated polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) adsorbed onto urban air particulates using an on-line coupled chromatographic method and mass spectrometry. High-pressure normal-phase liquid chromatography was coupled to a high-resolution gas chromatograph with an ion trap detector mass spectrometer. The instrument was configured to use an on-column LC-GC interface, enabling partially concurrent solvent evaporation with an early solvent vapor exit. This instrument was used to identify many substituted PAC contained in the extracts obtained from the supercritical fluid extraction of urban air particulates collected roadside by a high volume sampler in Leeds. Compounds identified included alkylated pyrene and chrysene species, nitrated fluoranthene and pyrene species, and many oxygenated quinone and aldehyde PAC.