Multifactorial Optimization Approach for Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sea Sediments of Turkish Mediterranean Coast

Present study aims the optimisation and validation of the extraction procedures for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples. As analytical techniques, gas chromatographymass detector (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The optimized methods were soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic bath extraction and solid phase micro extraction (SPME). The factorial design was used in order to search out the main factors affecting extraction efficiencies. The best extraction method was chosen as ultrasonic bath extraction and optimum values for main factors were selected for the development of this extraction method. The optimised methods were validated to confirm the reliability. Percent errors were in between 1.40% 25.0%. Relative standard deviation was less than 1% and limit of detection changed from 0.006 to 0.028 mg/L. The accuracy of the method was verified by analyzing National Institute of Standards and Technology, Standard Reference Material 1597a (NIST SRM 1597a). The selectivity, accuracy and precision were quite adequate for the determination of PAHs in sediment samples. The best extraction and analysis methods were then applied to determine 16 PAHs in sea sediments from Ölüdeniz Lagoon, of Turkish Meditreanean coast and marine sediment, SRM 1941b. The highest observed cocentration for PAHs was 0.620 mg·kg for Acenaphtene.Total sum of the concentrations for all the observed PAHs was1.854 mg·kg.