Screening method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil using hollow fiber membrane solvent microextraction.

A fast, inexpensive screening method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil has been developed. Using hollow fiber membrane solvent microextraction, 8 microl of octane extraction solvent was placed inside a porous, polypropylene fiber. Following an 8 min analyte preconcentration step, 4 microl of extract was injected into a gas chromatograph. Separation was achieved in less than 10 min with a detection limit of 0.13 mg/kg for 2-methylnaphthalene. Results of both spiked and real soil samples are presented.