Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent the largest group of compounds recognized as carcinogenic agents. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have classified these compounds based on evidence of carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Accordingly, a list of 16 compounds, known as EPA-priority PAHs, has been identified as high-risk environmental pollutants.
In this study, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was employed for the extraction, preconcentration, and determination of PAHs in drinking water. The extraction conditions were optimized, and under optimal conditions, 14 PAH compounds were successfully quantified. Recoveries ranged from 65.5% to 94%, with limits of quantification (LOQ) between 0.003 and 0.12 µg L⁻¹. The linear dynamic range for most compounds spanned 0.05–1.5 µg L⁻¹. Relative standard deviations (RSD%) at a concentration of 0.7 µg L⁻¹ were in the range of 4.5–12.7%. Method validation was performed by simultaneous analysis of a spiked sample based on the standard ISIRI 9387-2 method, with comparison of mean results via the statistical t-test.
Finally, the optimized method was applied to determine PAH levels in 40 packaged drinking water samples, revealing no significant contamination in any of the samples. The developed method is simple, cost-effective, and suitable for rapid determination of PAHs in aqueous samples, with potential for adaptation to other matrices with minor modifications.