Solvent effects on response factors for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons determined by capillary gas chromatography using splitless injections.

When standard solutions of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by capillary column gas chromatography using splitless injections, response factors were observed to be dependent on the solvent used to prepare the standard. This report presents the response factors for 16 individual PAHs in 5 commonly used solvents: acetonitrile, methanol, toluene, isooctane, and cyclohexane. To minimize quantitation errors due to differences in transfer efficiency, samples and standards of PAHs should be prepared in the same solvent.