Liquid Chromatographic- Mass Spectrometric Methods for the Analysis of Persistent Pollutants: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Organochlorine Compounds and Perfluorinated Compounds

Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC/MS) has become an invaluable technique for trace analysis of pollutants in the environment. Use of this technique offers a faster, more convenient, and more sensitive way to analyze many environmental pollutants. Of these, persistent pollutants in environment, some of which elicit toxicities, are monitored extensively in various environmental matrices as they are known to accumulate biologically through the food chain. Using LC/MS for the analysis of persistent pollutants has the potential to contribute to the simplification of analytical methods and the enhancement of sensitivity. This article presents a review of LC/MS methods published thus far on the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine compounds and perfluorinated acids.