Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by sensitized room temperature phosphorescence

Direct and selective simultaneous determination of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by sensitized room temperature phosphorescence in sodium dodecylsulphate micellar solutions was studied. This approach improved, for example, the selectivity factor in determining pyrene in the presence of fluoranthene by a factor of 350, and determined benz[a]anthracene and anthracene in the presence of pyrene with the selectivity factors as high as 200-220. Triphaflavine and acridine orange as triplet energy donors, thallium (I) nitrate as a heavy atom, and sodium sulphite were used as scavengers of oxygen. A comparative study of linear concentration ranges, detection limits and selectivity factors is presented here for pyrene, benz[a]anthracene and anthracene determination by fluorescence, phosphorescence and sensitized phosphorescence.