Characterization of Nitro-PAH Adsorbed on Environmental Micro Particles: A Comparison of Lamma, Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry Laser Microprobes and Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Characterization of nitro-PAHs has an important environmental interest. This work proposes a methodology for the systematic study of nitro-PAHs adsorbed on environmental aerosols, i.e. particles emitted by steel industry fumes. Direct analysis by LAMMA and FTMS has been combined with indirect characterization of nitro-PAHs by GC-MS-MS. The results suggest that LAMMA and FTMS laser microprobe analysis, used at very short wavelength and low energy (power densities about 9 × 106 W/cm2) allows the in situ desorption of high-molecular-weight compounds (PAHs and nitro-PAHs). This work is the first qualitative and potentially quantitative analytical approach for the analysis of these toxic and carcinogenic compounds adsorbed on a complex matrix.