Identification of polcyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in semi-reinforcing furnance carbon black

A weighed amount of a "special" semi-reinforcing (SRF) carbon black, made in 1964 and not considered to be typical for furnace blacks, was extracted with triple distilled benzene for 24 hours. The separation of carcinogens from the benzene extract was achieved by gas chromatography on a 5 ft x 0.25 inch stainless steel column packed with 3% OV-1 on chromosorb W. The chromatogram yielded 20 peaks. These peaks were collected, eluted and identified by (a) comparison of retention times, (b) peak enhancement technique, and (c) comparison of their excitation and fluorescence spectra with those of known polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAH) standards. The PCAH's identified in SRF-carbon black were: anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(mno)fluoranthene, chrysene, 1,2-benzanthracene, 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene, 1,2-benzopyrene, 3,4-benzopyrene, perylene, o-phenylene pyrene 1,2-benzoperylene, anthanthrene, and coronene. Of these, 1,1-benzanthracene, 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene, 3,4-benzopyrene and o-phenylene pyrene are known carcinogens. These and others have also been quantitated.