Quality criteria of the isotope dilution method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and phenol in leachate of large-scale lysimeter experiments

A comprehensive analytical procedure for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and phenol using the isotope dilution method and employing high-resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was developed and validated for leachates from source-term experiments and the different sampling sites of lysimeters. The use of glassware and other materials is efficiently limited to minimize the risk of contamination. The relative standard deviation elaborated allows precise reliable measurements. Limit of detection and recovery data are useful to judge the quality of each single measurement.