Simultaneous determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in reclaimed water using solid-phase extraction followed by ultra-performance convergence chromatography with photodiode array detection.

A new fast and effective analysis method has been developed to simultaneously determine 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in reclaimed water samples by ultra-performance convergence chromatography with photodiode array detection and solid-phase extraction. The parameters of ultra-performance convergence chromatography on the separation behaviors and the crucial condition of solid-phase extraction were investigated systematically. Under optimal conditions, the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could be separated within 4 min. The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.4–4 and 1–10 μg/L in water, respectively. This approach has been applied to a real industrial wastewater treatment plant successfully. The results showed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were dramatically decreased after chemical treatment procedure, and the oxidation procedure was effective to remove trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.