Methodology to examine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) nitrated PAHs and oxygenated PAHs in sediments of the Paraguaçu River (Bahia, Brazil)

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2018-11, Vol.136, p.248-256
• Main Authors: Santos, Leila Oliveira, Santos, Aldenor Gomes, de Andrade, Jailson B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetonitrile; Acetonitriles - chemistry; Aromatic compounds; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Brazil; Chemical Fractionation - methods; Deuteration; Dichloromethane; Extraction processes; Fluvial sediments; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods; GC–MS; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Linearity; Marine sediments; Methods; Methylene Chloride - chemistry; Microextraction; Nitrates - chemistry; Nitro-PAHs; Oxygen - chemistry; PAHs; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Quinones; Quinones - analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Rivers; Sediment; Sediment samples; Sediments; Sonication; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.022

Conventional methods for determination of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in sediments usually require large sample sizes (grams) and solvent volumes (at least 100 mL) through the employment of Soxhlet extraction, which is both time (hours) and energy consuming, among other disadvantages. We developed a new analytical protocol for the determination of PACs in sediments using microextraction, which requires small sample masses (25 mg), 500 μL of acetonitrile-dichloromethane mix and sonication for 23 min, followed by GC–MS analysis. The method was validated using the certified reference material SRM 1941b – NIST organic marine sediment, as well as internal deuterated standards. Seventeen PAHs, seven nitro-PAHs and one quinone were detected and quantified. The mean concentrations were 90.4 ng g−1 for PAHs, 179.2 ng g−1 for nitro-PAHs and 822.5 ng g−1 for quinones. The proposed method showed good sensitivity, linearity, precision and accuracy for the determination of PAC in sediments samples. •A new method for polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) determination in sediments was optimized.•PAHs, Nitro-PAHs, Quinones were determined in sediments through SDME/GC–MS.•The developed method showed a good applicability.•Simultaneous quantification of PAHs, nitro-PAHs and quinones in sediments samples