The luminescence emission spectra of twenty-three polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been examined in n-alkane solvents at 77 K. The Shpol'skii effect, in which narrow-band (quasi-linear) emission spectra are obtained under these conditions when a monochromator of adequate resolving power is used, is shown to be readily observed for twelve of the compounds examined in these solvents. Quasi-linear emission spectra have also been obtained in tetrahydrofuran for some of the PAH compounds examined. These emission spectra provide for unambiguous qualitative identification of PAH compounds a t trace concentrations in solution; this effect is demonstrated by identification of the compounds present in an eight-component mixture of PAH compounds.Measurement of the low-temperature quasi-linear luminescence intensity can be applied quantitatively to the determination of these compounds provided that a standard additions procedure is employed in conjunction with the use of an internal standard to ensure sufficient accuracy and precision.
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