Improved detection of polycyclic aromatic compounds in complex mixtures by liquid chromatographic fractionation on poly(divinylbenzene) prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: Application to the analysis of diesel particulates

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) are preferentially retained over other compound classes during high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) columns with a dichloromethane mobile phase. PAC retention during HPLC with PDVB/CH 2Cl 2 is governed by a multi-mode mechanism that has been previously described. This enhanced retention of PACs makes PDVB columns useful for isolating a PAC fraction from highly complex mixtures such as the emissions from fossil-fuels combustion. The cleaned-up PAC fraction yields a simple chromatogram with easily identified and quantified peaks without significant compound loss or danger of contamination. We illustrate the use of this clean-up method for the isolation of the PAC fraction from a standard reference diesel particulate sample.