HPLC monitoring of the efficiency of chemical decomposition of genotoxic fluoranthene derivatives

A new RP HPLC method was developed for the separation and determination of fluoranthene, 3-aminofluoranthene and 3-nitrofluoranthene using a classical UV detector and a newly developed amperometric platinum tubular detector for 3-aminoliuoranthene. The detection limit of 3-aminofluoranthene was 1 × 10^-7 mol L^-1 with electrochemical detector and 3 × 10^-7 mol L^-1 with UV detector, and of fluoranthene and 3-nitrofluoranthene with UV detector was 1 × 10^-7 mol L ^-1 and 3 × 10^-7 mol L^-1, respectively. The aim was to evaluate the efficiency of the chemical destruction of 3-nitrofluoranthene in laboratory wastes, as well as of the enzymatic oxidative destruction of 3-aminofluoranthene. 3-nitrofluoranthene was reduced with zinc, which preceded the oxidation with permanganate. In another approach the Fenton oxidizing reagent was used. The efficiency of the studied degradation methods for 3-aminofluoranthene and 3-nitrofluoranthene was at least 99%.