High pressure liquid chromatographic method for determination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in beer

A high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the determination of some polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in beer. The PAHs are extracted into isooctane from a beer sample to which sodium hydroxide, ethanol, and acetone have been added. The isooctane extract is washed with acid and then base, and is purified by chromatography through deactivated neutral alumina. The eluate from the column is concentrated to dryness and the resulting residue is dissolved in methanol-acetonitrile (1 + 1) and subjected to reverse phase HPLC analysis. Both ultraviolet (UV) and fluorescence detectors are used to monitor the HPLC column effluent. Recovery of 4 PAHs, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, and dibenzo(a,i)pyrene, ranged from 77 to 108% by UV measurement and 73 to 97% by fluorescence measurement.