The development, optimization and validation of a liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization tandem mass spectrometric (LC-APPI/MS/MS) method for the determination of 15 azaarenes (4-azafluorene, benzo[h] and -[f]quinoline, phenanthridine, acridine, 1-azafluoranthene, 4-azapyrene, benz[a]- and -[c]acridine, -10-azabenzo[a]pyrene, 7,9- and 7,10-dimethylbenz[c]acridine, dibenz[a,j]-, -[c,h] and [a,i]acridine) in airborne particulate matter is described. Each compound was detected and quantified operating in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Extraction of azaarenes was achieved using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) with dichlormethane/methanol (50/50, v/v). After extraction, no additional clean-up procedure like solid phase or liquid/liquid extraction was necessary. Limits of quantification (S/Nx10) ranged from 0.2 pg/microl to 1.4 pg/microl, matrix dependent recoveries were between 57% and 94%, with relative standard deviations from 8% to 17%. Applicability of the method was demonstrated analyzing 10 samples of particulate matter (PM(2.5)) collected in winter 2008. In all samples dimethylbenz[c]acridines as well as dibenzacridines were below the limit of quantification, concentration of the remaining analytes were in the range from 0.002 ng/m(3) to 0.356 ng/m(3).
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