Separation of 27 EU and US EPA Regulated PAHs on Agilent J&W Select PAH Columns

Significance of the Topic

The analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental and food matrices is critical due to their toxicological relevance and regulatory requirements. Accurate separation and quantification of PAHs are essential for risk assessment and compliance with EU and US EPA standards.

Study Objectives and Overview

This study presents a single‐run GC/MS method capable of resolving all 27 priority PAHs listed by EU legislation and US EPA Method 610. It focuses on optimizing the oven temperature program and column selection to achieve clear separation of isomeric and mass‐overlapping compounds.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Instrument configuration
  • Gas chromatograph coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in SIM mode
  • Agilent J&W Select PAH column, 30 m × 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.15 µm
  • Helium carrier gas at constant flow of 2 mL min−1
• Sample and injection
  • Mixture of 27 PAHs at approximately 1 µg mL−1
  • Injection volume of 1 µL in splitless mode with 1 min purge at 50 mL min−1
• Oven program
  • Initial hold at 70 °C for 0.7 min, ramp at 85 °C min−1 to 180 °C
  • Ramp at 3 °C min−1 to 230 °C, hold for 7 min
  • Ramp at 28 °C min−1 to 280 °C, hold for 10 min
  • Ramp at 14 °C min−1 to 350 °C, hold for 3 min

Main Results and Discussion

The optimized method achieved baseline separation of all 27 PAHs within a 45 min runtime. Key chromatographic challenges included sets of isomeric compounds sharing the same nominal mass (m/z 226 vs 228, m/z 276 vs 278, and benzofluoranthene isomers). Chromatographic resolution on the Select PAH phase was essential to distinguish these coeluting analytes where mass spectrometry alone was insufficient.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Single‐run compliance with both EU and EPA priority PAH lists
• Enhanced accuracy and specificity for environmental monitoring and food safety testing
• Streamlined workflow with reduced analysis time and simplified method development

Future Trends and Applications

Emerging column chemistries and high‐resolution mass analyzers promise further improvements in selectivity and speed. Integration with automated sample preparation and data processing platforms will boost throughput for routine quality control and research applications.

Conclusion

The Agilent J&W Select PAH column, combined with a tailored GC oven program, provides robust separation of 27 regulated PAHs in a single GC/MS run. This method addresses critical analytical challenges posed by isomeric and mass‐overlapping compounds and supports efficient compliance testing.

References

1. Report of Joint FAO WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2005, FAO WHO, Rome
2. Bordajandi LR Dabrio M Ulberth F Emons H, Optimization of GC-MS Conditions for the 15 EU Foodstuff PAHs, J Sep Sci 31 1769-1778, 2008
3. Lerda D, PAH Factsheet, JRC 500871, European Commission, 2009
4. Poster DL Schantz MM Sander LC Wise SA, Critical Review of PAH GC Methods, Anal Bioanal Chem 386 859-881, 2006
5. Ziegenhals K Hubschmann HJ Speer K Jira W, Fast-GC/HRMS for EU Priority PAH, J Sep Sci 31 1779-1786, 2008