Fluorescence line narrowing spectrometry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in organic glasses

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6205620

Brown, J C

Fluorescence line narrowing spectrometry (FLNS), also known as optical site selection spectroscopy, is a relatively new technique holding great promise as an analytical tool. Species specific analysis of complex samples for low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a difficult analytical problem. The PAH analysis problem is reviewed herein as are the mechanisms and characteristics of FLNS which make this new methodology appear ideal for application to the problem. Organic glasses are presented as the cryogenic matrices of choice for analytical FLNS. An experimental arrangement utilizing sensitive gated signal detection is used to test the analytical utility of FLNS. Data presented show that linear quantitative response from concentrations between saturation (about 1 ppM) and the low parts per trillion range is obtained. The demonstrated high precision and linearity of response that routine analytical FLNS using organic glass matrices need not use internal standard and/or standard addition quantitation schemes. Unambiguous determinations of compounds in complex samples are shown to be expected. This expectation is shown to be realistic by demonstrating, in successive chapters; the unique FLNS behavior of each of 27 polycyclic aromatic compounds tested; resolution of the 13 fluorescing species in a 14 component artificial mixture; and determination of pyrene, 1-alkylpyrene, benzo(e)pyrene, anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and perylene in an unseparated sample of SRC-II coal liquification product.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6205620
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400104* -- Spectral Procedures-- (-1987)
500300 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANTHRACENE
AROMATICS
BENZOPYRENE
COAL LIQUEFACTION
CONDENSED AROMATICS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
HYDROCARBONS
LINE NARROWING
LIQUEFACTION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERYLENE
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PYRENE
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES