Patent ID: 6923915

Claim:
A process for removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a sample containing fullerenes and PAHs comprising the steps of: (a) providing a sample containing fullerenes and PAHs and a first solvent in which the fullerenes are not substantially soluble and in which the PAHs are substantially soluble; (b) continuously or multiply extracting the sample with the first solvent; and (c) extracting the sample extract of step (b) with a second different solvent in which the fullerenes are not substantially soluble and in which the PAHs are substantially soluble wherein the first and second solvents are selected from the group consisting of alkanes, ethers, alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes having fewer than eight carbon atoms, optionally substituted with one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of ether groups, alcohol groups, ketone groups, aldehyde groups, halide groups, nitro groups, and nitrile groups, mixtures and azeotropes thereof, and supercritical or near supercritical fluids.