Determination of polynuclear aromatic compounds in composted municipal refuse and compost-amended soils by a simple clean-up procedure

A rapid and reproducible procedure suitable for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in sludges and soil samples has been developed. The PACs are isolated by ultrasonic extraction with methyl chloride, redissolution of the crude extract in isooctane and clean-up of the PAC-containing fraction by chromatography on alumina micro-columns. After separation and quantitative determination of the various PACs by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, more than 50 PAC compounds which cover a wide range of concentrations were detected in the sludge samples. The most abundant compounds were mono-, di- and trimethyl derivatives of naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, dibenzethiophene and naphthothiophene. No accumulation of PAC in an agricultural soil after an experiment of compost application over three years was observed.