[Estimation of atmospheric benzo(a)pyrene using fluorimetry coupled with liquid scintillation spectrometry (author's...

Methods for the rapid determination of benzo(a)pyrene rest mainly on the separation of the substance by thin-layer chromatography, followed by its spectrophotometric or fluorimetric estimation. Published papers seldom state the recovery results. It is shown here that, with the aid of radioactive benzo(a)pyrene tracer and liquid scintillation spectrometry, recovery becomes poorer and less reproducible as the sample decreases in size (to less than 1 mug benzo(a)pyrene). Coupling fluorimetry with liquid scintillation spectrometry provides an easy means of reducing this common source of error.