Direct mass-quantification of particulate deposits of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Fourier transform imaging...

Successful coupling of imaging microscopy with Fourier transform spectrometry provides a new methodological approach. This was applied to the direct analysis of particulate deposits of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The fluorescence signals of single microscopic particulates were found to be proportional to their mass, obtained from the corresponding HPLC results. Special fluorescence characteristics related to individual particle analysis were studied. The sensitivity of the proposed method to PAHs in soil is in the sub-ppb range, similar to HPLC results. Analysis of inhomogeneous PAH-particulates was demonstrated, as well as the resolution of photochemical products of PAHs. The effects of particulate orientation relative to the detector upon quantification are discussed.