Mass spectral identification of metabolites formed by microbial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

This paper deals with the identification of PAH metabolites, which are formed during PAH bioremediation. The investigation was performed with trimethylsilylation (TMS) of the sample, following gas chromatographic (GC) separation and mass spectrometry (MS). The mass spectra were analysed, rules of fragmentation developed and characteristic fragments were presented.