Applicability of low temperature high-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy to the analysis of nitro and amino polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

In order to enable the analysis of nitro and amino polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) isomers in the environment, the applicability of low temperature high-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy (HRFS) using a frozen n-alkane solution (Shpolʹskii matrix) has been studied. 22 nitro PAHs were treated with potassium borohydride (KBH4) to be reduced into fluorescent amino PAHs, and spectral measurements of reduction products were carried out. Reduction products of 14 nitro PAHs exhibited high-resolution fluorescence spectra. Furthermore, the reproducibility of the reduction reaction and wavelength agreements of the narrow bands in measured spectra were confirmed by comparing spectra obtained at two laboratories in France (the University of Bordeaux I) and Japan (NIRE).