Challenges of gas chromatography-high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry for simultaneous analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other halogenated persistent organic pollutants in environmental samples

• Published in: Journal of separation science Vol. 28; no. 7; pp. 601 - 611
• Main Authors: Čajka, Tomáš, Hajšlová, Jana, Kazda, Radek, Poustka, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.05.2005; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Analysis methods; Analytical chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Chromatography, Gas - instrumentation; Chromatography, Gas - methods; Compounding ingredients; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Fireproof agents; Fishes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas chromatographic methods; GC-MS; High-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry; Mass Spectrometry - instrumentation; Mass Spectrometry - methods; PBDEs; PCBs; Phenyl Ethers - analysis; Pollution; Polybrominated Biphenyls - analysis; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Quality Control; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Soil and sediments pollution; Technology of polymers; TOF; 2004; revised: October 7; Soil pollution; Persistent organic pollutant; Tissue; Sample preparation; 2005; Organochlorine compounds; Pisces; Chlorocarbon; Bromine Organic compounds; Halogen Organic compounds; Electron impact; Soxhlet extraction; Coupled method; Flame retardant; Leuciscus cephalus; Sediments; Polychlorobiphenyl; Contamination; Chemical ionization; Gas chromatography; Vertebrata; Time of flight method; Environment; Negative ion; PBDEs; PCBs; High-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry; GC-MS; TOF Received: May 18; Mass spectrometry; 2004; accepted: February 15
• ISSN: 1615-9306; 1615-9314
• DOI: 10.1002/jssc.200401850

The potential of a gas chromatographic method employing high‐resolution time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectrometry was evaluated for detection of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the environmental matrices represented by fish and river sediment. Two ionisation techniques, viz. electron ionisation (EI) and negative ion chemical ionisation (NICI), the latter with methane as a reagent gas, were used in this study. While the instrumental lowest calibration levels (LCLs) obtained in EI were in the range from 1 to 5 pg, their values ranged between 10 to 250 fg in NICI mode. This enhancement in detectability of target analytes enabled identification/quantification of even minor PBDE congeners, and consequently, improved characterisation of particular sample contamination patterns. In addition, this method allowed estimation of the PCB levels in examined samples. CB 153 was used as a contamination marker in this study.