Chemometric assisted determination of 16 PAHs in water samples by ultrasonic assisted emulsification microextraction followed by fast high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector

Combination of fast high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection (HPLC–DAD) technique and ultrasonic assisted emulsification micro-extraction (USAEME) as extraction method are used for simultaneous determination of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in river samples. The optimum conditions of USAEME procedure are selected according to the literature. Due to presence of different chromatographic issues and the complexity of water matrices, multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) is a good resolution technique for simultaneous quantification of PAHs in standard and real samples. On this matter, region-based and whole chromatographic data analysis of 16 PAHs are done and the results are compared. Although the results of both methods were acceptable, region-based analysis had improvement regarding to the whole data analysis. Recoveries ranging from 81.80% to 105.86% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 10% for all PAHs verified the precision and accuracy of this method. Also, the relative error of calibration curves (RE, %) were less than 14.69%. Also, analytical figures of merit using multivariate approach were used for whole and segment-based strategies. In this regard, the values of multivariate figures of merit in region-based analysis had better results compared to pseudo-univariate techniques and total analysis. These results confirmed that using second order calibration algorithms in USAEME–HPLC–DAD data is a powerful method for fast, cost effective and simple determination of PAHs in highly polluted samples. •Rapid determination of 16 PAHs residues in water samples by USAEME-HPLC-DAD.•Second-order advantage, which means analyte determination in the presence of unknown interferences.•Improved the sensitivity and selectivity of the analysis.•Reliable qualitative and quantitative analysis of PAHs in river water.