title: Gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry applied for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil.
abstract: A gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (GC/ITMS) method was developed for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). ITMS parameters were optimized in order to achieve the best sensitivity for the PBDE analysis. Tandem mass spectrometry, along with an isotope dilution internal standard method, was used for the quantitation. Chromatographic windows were developed for mono- to hepta-BDEs, depending on the retention times when a 30-m GC column was used. A different 15-m column was used to analyze deca-BDE. Environmental soil samples collected from an electronic waste recycling site were prepared by using Soxhlet extraction and column chromatographic cleanup. Average recoveries of 61-118% were obtained for the 13C-labeled PBDE internal standards spiked in the samples prior to sample preparation. The accuracy represented by relative analytical errors was -24% to 18%, and the precision (relative standard deviation) was 11-26% (n=8). The method detection limits ranged from 0.013-0.25 ng/g for the PBDEs in soil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Dongli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Guibin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ming Hung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Wai Kwok
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants