Identification of environmental polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons by pulse Fourier-transform 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract

Pulse Fourier-transform ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of submilligram amounts of mixtures of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons separated from air particulates and tobacco- and marijuana-smoke condensates allow individual constituents to be recognised from chemical shift data. Methyl derivatives of anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene can be identified in this way, but for methylchrysenes and -benz[a]anthracenes complementary gas-chromatographic and mass spectrometric information is necessary. Unsubstituted five-ring aromatic hydrocarbons were identified from the spectra of higher relative molecular mass fractions.