Performance evaluation of a rapid-scanning quadrupole mass spectrometer in the comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography analysis of pesticides in water

✍ Scribed by Giorgia Purcaro; Peter Quinto Tranchida; Lanfranco Conte; Agnieszka Obiedzińska; Paola Dugo; Giovanni Dugo; Luigi Mondello

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 226 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1615-9306
• DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201100085

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The performance of a novel rapid‐scanning (20 000 amu/s) quadrupole mass spectrometer (qMS) has been evaluated in the comprehensive 2‐D gas chromatography (GC×GC) analysis of pesticides contained in water. Analyte extraction was performed by using direct solid‐phase microextraction (SPME). The MS system was operated using a rather wide m/z 50–450 mass range and a 33 Hz spectral production rate, a frequency which was found sufficient for reliable quantification. The qMS performance was evaluated considering: (i) number of data points per peak, (ii) mass spectral quality, (iii) extent of peak skewing, and (iv) consistency of retention times. Seven‐point calibration curves (external calibration) were constructed for 28 pesticides over the limit of quantification range of 100 μg/L (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 μg/L). The solid‐phase microextraction‐GC×GC‐qMS method was validated by calculating limits of detection and quantification, intraday peak area precision, accuracy, and intraday retention‐time precision. A series of tap water samples were subjected to analysis, fortunately giving negative results.