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Updated: May 3, 2026

High-Throughput Measurement and Classification of Organic P in Environmental Samples
Published on: June 8, 2011
Selective extraction of PAHs from a sediment with structural preservation of Natural Organic Matter
Patricia Merdy1, Romain Achard2, Ismahen Samaali1
1Laboratoire des PROcessus de Transferts et d'Echanges dans l'Environnement (PROTEE), Université de Toulon, BP 20132, 83957 La Garde Cedex, France.
Abstract:
Selective extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) without structural modification of the Natural Organic Matter (NOM) from a heavily contaminated sediment was investigated using various solvents mixtures. Structural modification of the NOM was monitored after extraction using 3D-fluorescence spectroscopy. Better results were obtained with a 15-h PAH extraction under reflux with a dichloromethane/cyclohexane 20/80 mixture. The experimental procedure was validated with NOM standard materials before to be applied on natural sediments. It could be applied to any environmental solid sample such as sediments and soils.
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