Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Groundwater Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry After Pre-Concentration Using Cloud‑Point Extraction with Surfactant Derivatization

A cloud-point extraction (CPE) method using the surfactant (30)p-tert-octylphenol polyoxyethylene (OPEO30) was proposed as the preceding step for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Given the need for surfactant derivatization before the chromatographic analysis, the reaction conditions of coacervate derivatization were studied. The extraction process was also optimized, where surfactant concentration, temperature and time were analyzed as variables. The limits of detection obtained were between 0.02 and 0.05 µg L-1, an...