Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in ambient air by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry.
A multiresidue method for determining 22 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in air has been developed and validated by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using a triple quadrupole analyzer (QqQ). The method was validated in terms of both steps of sampling and analysis. The sampling method, which is based on active sampling using polyurethane foam (PUF) as adsorbent, was validated by generating standard atmospheres. The retention capacity of this sampling sorbent allows up to 5 m3 of air to be sampled without any breakthrough for most compounds. Two solvent extraction methods were compared: sonication and Soxhlet extraction with a mixture of n-hexane:diethyl ether (95:5 v/v). Both extraction methods yielded similar results, but the first one required less solvent and time. The method exhibited good accuracy (80.3-99.8%), precision (2.2-15.2%) and lower limits that allowed quantification and confirmation at levels as low as 0.008 ng/m3. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of PCBs in the air in areas near to a municipal solid-waste landfill and directly above the refuse in the landfill, where it indicated the presence of some of the target compounds.
Martínez Ocaña
Rosa
R
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Almería, 04071, Almería, Spain.
Mena Granero
Angela
A
Egea Gonzalez
Francisco Javier
FJ
Garrido Frenich
Antonia
A
Martínez Vidal
José Luis
JL
Plaza Bolaños
Patricia
P
D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls