Optimization of congener-specific analysis of 40 polybrominated diphenyl ethers by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

✍ Scribed by E. Eljarrat; S. Lacorte; D. Barceló

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 166 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1076-5174
• DOI: 10.1002/jms.262

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of 40 different congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) containing 1–7 bromine atoms is described. Two different MS approaches were used, negative chemical ionization (NCI‐MS) and electron ionization (EI‐MS). Operating parameters such as electron energy and source temperature were optimized in order to obtain the maximum sensitivity in the EI‐MS study. For NCI‐MS analyses, the effects of the moderating gas (methane or ammonia), source temperature and system pressure were studied. The quality parameters of the two approaches tested were compared. NCI‐MS gave detection limits between 30 fg and 1.72 pg, whereas EI‐MS gave detection limits between 0.53 and 32.09 pg. The main advantage of EI‐MS is that it provides better structural information. Moreover, the use of EI‐MS allowed the use of an isotope dilution method for quantification, making the analysis more reliable at trace levels. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.