Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Using Programmable Temperature Vaporization Inlet Couple with Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (PTV-GC-MS)

Abstract

The conditions in programmable temperature vaporization inlet of a gas chromatography–
mass spectrometry (PTV-GC–MS) were optimized to enhance the detection of five
compounds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) namely acenaphthylene, fluorene,
anthracene, phenanthrene and pyrene. PTV parameters such as injection volume, vent
pressure, vent time, vent flow, initial heating rate, purge flow rate, purge time and injection
delay time were optimized. The optimized injection volume was 150 µL, which was
introduced into the inlet by six times repeating injection of 25 µL using automatic liquid
sampler at an interval of 5 seconds between each injection. The optimized vent flow and
pressure are 400 mL/min and 5 psi for 2 minutes, respectively. The purge flow rate and
initial heating rate were optimized to 400 mL/min for 2 minutes and 400 oC/min. The
performance of PTV solvent vent mode was compared to the splitless injection mode. The
obtained limit of detection (LOD) in solvent vent mode was approximately five to six times
lower than the limit obtained in splitless injection mode. The determined recoveries varied
from 98.1 to 98.9% with pooled relative standard deviations ranging from 9.8 to 11.4%.