Development of separation systems for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon environmental contaminants using micellar electrokinetic chromatography with molecular micelles and free zone electrophoresis.

Of four systems available from the literature, based on cyclodextrins, dioctylsulfosuccinate, bile salts, and molecular micelles consisting of oligomers of undecylenic acid, the most successful separation system in our hands is based on the molecular micelles, oligomers of sodium undecylenic acid (OSUA). We have employed organic additives of acetonitrile, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran in achieving separations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PNAs) using molecular micelles. Generally, successful separations are achieved with 20-40% composition as the organic additive in an 8 mM borate buffer. We separated 16 PNAs with 20% tetrahydrofuran in a system of 8 mM borate and 0.125 g/10 mL (ca. 6.25 mM) of OSUA. Typical extracts of environmental samples contain additional analytes besides the typical 16 target compounds. Among these are the nitrogen-containing aromatics that can act as cations under conditions of low pH and additional compounds that can act as anions under basic conditions in free-zone electrophoresis. These additional classes of analytes are separated by capillary zone electrophoresis/laser-induced fluorescence detection using a frequency-doubled laser operated at 257 nm.