Determination of organic molecular markers in marine aerosols and sediments: one-step flash chromatography compound class fractionation and capillary gas chromatographic analysis

n-Alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanals, n-alkan-2-ones, long-chain alkenones, oxy-PAHs, n-alkanols, sterols and free alkanoic acids have been reliably determined in various environmental matrices by using one-step flash chromatography compound class fractionation and subsequent gas chromatography (GC)–MS and/or GC–flame ionization detection analysis. The obtained recoveries, for the whole analytical procedure were 62–98% for n-alkanes, 60–100% for PAHs, 75% for n-alkanals, 96–100% for nitroarenes, 65–73% for oxy-PAHs, 88–98% for n-alkanols, 80–89% for steroidal alcohols and 98% for alkanoic acids. This analytical protocol has been applied, and proved suitable, for the determination of more than 170 organic compounds in samples, such as aerosols and marine sediments, collected during a 1 year period in a coastal environment of Eastern Mediterranean.  1998 Elsevier Science B.V.