Optimization and validation of a new method of analysis for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge by liquid chromatography after microwave assisted extraction

Characterization of sludge from waste water treatment plants which are destined to be spread on agricultural lands, is a priority need. Inorganic pollutants are regularly controlled but organic pollutants have received little attention up to now. In this paper, we have developed an analytical procedure using microwave-assisted extraction prior to liquid chromatography coupled with diode array (LC-DAD) or fluorescence (LC-FL) detectors for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sewage sludge. The main factors affecting the extraction efficiency (microwave power, irradiation time and extractant volume) were optimized. Clean-up of sewage sludge extracts was not found to be necessary. For adequate fluorescence detection of PAHs a temporal program of excitation and emission wavelengths was used. The optimized method was applied to the extraction of PAHs from various sludges from a waste water treatment plant (Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain). The limits of detection were between 4 ng g^-1 sewage sludge for benzo[b]fluoranthene and 12 ng g^-1 sewage sludge for pyrene using LCFL. When LC-DAD is used the limits of detection were between 13 ng g^-1 for indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and 62 ng g^-1 for naphthalene. The relative standard deviations were found to be <10%. The validation of the proposed method was carried out by application to analysis for PAHs in a certified reference material (CRM) 088 dried sewage sludge of the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). The recoveries were between 69% for benzo[k]fluoranthene and 110% for pyrene using LC-FL and between 52% for indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and 104% for benzo[a]pyrene using LC-DAD of the certified values. These results are in a very good agreement with those given in the literature.