Rapid screening of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and fingerprinting of environmental materials by laser-excited fluorescence spectrometry.

Laser-excited fluorescence of aromatic molecular vapors in a graphite furnace has been used as a rapid screening method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various sample types and as a fingerprinting technique for crude oils, petroleum products and particulate matter. The simplicity and speed of the method indicate that it will be a useful method for PAH screening.