Chromatographic Separation and Analysis of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons and Phthalic Acid Esters from Ambient Air Samples

The elution of a series of common atmospheric organic pollutants was tested on a 1.25%-deactivated Florisil column. It was found that phthalate esters and dieldrin could be eluted from the column with 50% (v/v) diethyl ether in petroleum ether. Other chlorinated hydroarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are eluted first with petroleum ether followed by 5% (v/v) diethyl ether in petroleum ether. This procedure was used to successfully separate a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons and phthalate esters found in ambient air along the Texas Gulf Coast.