Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of phenolic derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene with monomeric and polymeric C18 columns.

The separation of monohydroxylated derivatives (phenols) of benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene was studied by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a monomeric Zorbax ODS column and a polymeric Vydac C18 column. The Vydac C18 column resolved the phenols of each hydrocarbon with a wide range of retention times than the Zorbax ODS column. Four K-region phenols of benzo[a]pyrene are either not separated or marginally separated on both monomeric and polymeric columns. Other K-region and non-K-region phenols of all three hydrocarbons can be separated by using the monomeric and polymeric columns in combination.