Source identification of urban airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry and high resolution mass spectrometry.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formed during the combustion of three common fuels (coal, wood and kerosene) were separated and identified by capillary-column gas chromatographic mass spectrometry and were compared to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from Indianapolis, a high coal consuming area, and Boston, a low coal consuming area. High resolution mass spectral data were utilized in the construction of alkyl homolog plots for the comparison of alkyl distribution within each sample.