Novel Sorbent and Solvent Combination for QuEChERS Soil Sample Preparation for the Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent priority contaminants, and the development of fast, reliable and accurate methods for their determination is of essential importance. The soil is a part of the environment which easily accumulates PAHs, making them available for transport to the air and water over long time periods and by plants through the food chain to humans. The aim of present study was to introduce a novel sorbent to the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe technique for soil sample preparation for the determination of 16 European Union priority PAHs by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Two solvent systems, 2:1 (v/v) hexane:acetone and ethyl acetate, were investigated in combination with five clean-up sorbents [Primary secondary amine (PSA), C18, florisil, clinoptilolite, and diatomaceous earth] in this study. The highest overall recovery of the method was achieved by the combination of hexane:acetone with clinoptilolite (recoveries of 70–110%) with limits of detection in the range of 0.60–1.53 µg kg⁻¹. The analysis of 20 soil samples from Niš, Serbia resulted in the identification of 11 samples with concentration greater than the values prescribed by law. The ratios of phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene were used to elucidate the origin of the PAHs as pyrolytic.