Likely impurities are anthraquinone, anthrone, , fluorene, 9,10-dihydro, tetracene and bianthryl. Carbazole is removed by continuous-adsorption chromatography using a neutral alumina column and passing n-hexane. The solvent is evaporated and anthracene is sublimed under vacuum, then purified by zone refining, under N₂ in darkness or non-actinic light.

Anthracene (CAS NO. ) has been purified by co-distillation with ethylene glycol (boils at 197.5 °C), from which it can be recovered by additn of water, followed by crystn from 95% EtOH, benzene, toluene, a mixture of benzene/xylene (4:1), or Et₂O. It has also been chromatographed on alumina with pet ether in a dark room (to avoid photo-oxidation of adsorbed anthracene to anthraquinone). Other purification methods include sublimation in a N₂ atmosphere (in some cases after refluxing with sodium), and recrystd from toluene.

Anthracene has also been crystd from EtOH, chromatographed through alumina in hot benzene (fume hood) and then vac sublimed in a Pyrex tube that has been cleaned and baked at 100 °C. It has been chromatographed on alumina, recrystd from n-hexane and sublimed under reduced pressure.

Alternatively, it was recrystd from cyclohexane, chromatographed on alumina with n-hexane as eluent, and recrystd two more times.