Coacervative Extraction of Priority Carcinogenic PAHs from Water for LC Analysis

Researchers from Edificio Anexo Marie Curie (Cordoba, Spain) used coacervates of decanoic acid reverse micelles to extract priority carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waste and surface water for subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography-fluorimetry. The researchers stirred filtered aqueous samples with tetrahydrofuran containing decanoic acid to form a coacervate containing the PAHs. The coacervate reportedly prevents the PAHs from adsorption onto container surfaces during sample storage, and no clean-up steps are necessary.