Characterization of Polychlorinated Terphenyl Mixtures by High Resolution Gas Chromatography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

✍ Scribed by F. J. Santos; M. T. Galceran; J. Caixach; X. Huguet; J. Rivera

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 587 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0951-4198
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0231(199611)10:14<1774::aid-rcm705>3.0.co;2-i

✦ Synopsis

We have investigated the capacity of high resolution gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in the multi-reaction monitoring mode to study the distribution of polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) in commercial mixtures and environmental samples. Collision energy and collision-gas pressure have been optimized using a hybrid instrument for maximum sensitivity and selectivity. Product ion and precursor-ion spectra of PCTs have been obtained. The internal interferences observed in the detection and measurement of the [MI+' ions due to [M -2C1]+' fragment ions from the terphenyl homologues with two additional chlorine atoms have been mainly eliminated using tandem mass spectrometry with selected reaction monitoring of the loss of two "CI atoms. This procedure has been used to determine the homologue distribution of PCTs in commercial mixtures such as Aroclor 5432,5442,5460 and Leromolll41, and in samples of shellfish and tuna.

Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are structurally and toxicologically related classes of anthropogenic compounds that have been identified as potentially serious environmental hazards.14 PCTs have physical and chemical properties similar to the PCBs which make them appropriate for a number of industrial uses: in hydraulic fluids, electrical equipment, sealants, plasticisers, paints, adhesives and casting agents.'*5 The attention devoted to the composition and distribution of Tablel. Monitored masses for HRGCILRMS-SIM and HRGC/MS/MS-Multireaction monitoring Q (MRM-Q) experiments