Efficient PAH Analysis (EU 15+1) using an Ascentis^® Express PAH HPLC Column

In 2005, the European Commission (EU) recommended the monitoring of 15 priority PAHs along with an additional PAH highlighted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) which are considered toxic in food products.¹ The list contains eight of the EPA’s priority PAHs along with eight other compounds that are known carcinogens.

In this application, we demonstrate a PAH analysis method for the separation of EU 15 + 1 PAH compounds on a 50 x 4.6 mm, 2.7 μm Ascentis^® Express PAH column. The analysis was completed under the given conditions (Table 1) in less than ten minutes with an excellent resolution between the critical pair, peaks 4 and 5 (chrysene and 5-methylchrysene), that only differ by the presence of a methyl group (Figure 1).

Conclusion

The new Ascentis^® Express PAH HPLC column allows a highly efficient separation of 16 PAHs in 10 minutes. The Fused-Core^® technology of Ascentis^® Express PAH HPLC columns enables fast, efficient, and rugged separations, which are paramount to environmental and food analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

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