title: Liquid chromatographic determination of nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons by sequential electrochemical and fluorescence detection.
abstract: Nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons occur in ambient suspended particulate matter and are of special concern because they act as direct mutagens. Determination of these compounds in a complex matrix such as particulate matter present in diesel engine exhaust is complicated [Formula: see text] even mass spectrometry requires initial cleanup and separation steps. We propose a sensitive liquid chromatographic method with an unique selectivity:  an electrochemical detector operating in the reductive mode is followed by a fluorescence detector. When the NO(2) group is reduced to the NH(2) group, there is a major increase in fluorescence; nitro-PAH compounds are essentially nonfluorescent. A difference fluorescence signal or a difference chromatofluorogram is generated by subtracting the chromatogram obtained with the electrochemical detector off from that obtained with the electrochemical detector on. Applications to diesel engine exhaust samples are demonstrated.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-1061.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Murayama
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Dasgupta