Fluorescence spectrophotometer analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental samples based on solid phase extraction using molecularly imprinted polymer.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized using a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) standard as a template, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, and acetonitrile as a porogen. This polymer was used as a solid phase adsorbent for the quantitative enrichment of PAHs in coastal sediments, atmospheric particulates, and industrial effluents. The MIP selective adsorption capacity for PAHs started reducing when the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) was more than 800 mg L−1 in the targeted environmental samples. The adsorption stability of the MIP was tested by the consecutive contact of environmental samples, and it was shown that the performance of the MIP did not vary after 10 enrichments and desorption cycles. Recoveries of eight PAH compounds, extracted from 10 g of coastal sediments and 1 L of industrial effluent spiked with 10 μL of standard PAHs, showed recoveries between 85 and 96%. The fluorescence spectro...