Analytical methods for phenyltin compounds in polychlorinated biphenyl-based transformer oil samples

We present the first study on the analytical methods of phenyltin compounds (PTs) in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-based transformer oil samples. Tetraphenyltin (TePhT) has been used as stabilizer for some kinds of PCBs-based transformer oil formulations. Monophenyltin (MPhT), diphenyltin (DPhT) and triphenyltin (TrPhT) could have been formed from TePhT during long-term use. TePhT was directly measured by gas chromatograph (GC) connected with three types of detectors, a mass spectrometer (MS), a flame photometric detector (FPD) and an atomic emission detector (AED) after dilution with hexane. MPhT, DPhT and TrPhT were propylated with Grignard reagent before measurement. The MS was the most sensitive of the detectors, with detection limits of phenyltin compounds of 30 ng/ml (MPhT), 9.8 ng/ml (DPhT), 5.5 ng/ml (TrPhT) and 0.60 ng/ml (TePhT), respectively. From the viewpoint of selectivity, MS was slightly worse than other detectors, but interference from PCBs matrices was not significant under ordinary analytical conditions. Two used transformer oil samples were analyzed using the analytical methods developed in this study. TePhT and TrPhT were found in both samples.     

Analysis of organochlorines in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) tissue samples from Alaska using gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry by an isotopic dilution technique

A gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (GC/ITMS) method was developed for the determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) tissues. Tissue samples were homogenized, lyophilized and fortified with (13)C-PCBs 28, 123, 169 and 170, and then extracted with an accelerated solvent extractor with a mixture of hexane and methylene chloride (1:1, v/v). After lipid removal using a 40% H(2)SO(4)-modified silica gel column, all organochlorines were collected in one fraction and further fractionated with an activated carbon/silica gel (1:20) column into a first fraction containing OCPs, non-coplanar PCBs and (13)C-PCBs 28, 123 and 170, and a second containing PCNs, coplanar PCBs and (13)C-PCB 169. Prior to GC/MS/MS analysis, (13)C-PCB 169 was added into the first fraction as an injection standard and (13)C-PCB 170 into the second fraction to calibrate the recoveries of the fortified internal standards. This method can effectively eliminate matrix interferences, and has high selectivity and sensitivity. Recoveries averaged 45-86% for OCPs with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2-14%, 52-137% for PCBs with RSDs of 3-29% and 36-152% for PCNs with RSDs of 7-29% from lard and chicken heart samples, which were used as alternative matrices to harbor seal samples in recovery studies. The limits of detection for OCPs, PCBs and PCNs were 0.7-1.9, 1.5-8.9 and 0.5-10 pg/g dry weight, respectively. This method can be used to analyze OCPs, PCBs and PCNs in harbor seal blubber, liver and kidney samples.     

气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱同位素内标法测定鱼样中20种多氯联苯

建立了一种气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱结合双稳定性同位素内标检测鱼样中多氯联苯的方法。采用自动索氏提取器提取样品中的多氯联苯,经一根复合净化柱净化后,采用质谱多反应监测模式检测,选取两个独立的离子对。分析了20种多氯联苯,包含7种指示性多氯联苯,从三氯联苯到八氯联苯每族3个化合物,九氯联苯和十氯联苯各一个,每族使用一个相同氯代程度的¹³C₁₂标记多氯联苯作为定量内标、2种回收内标。20种多氯联苯在33 min内流出,分离良好,线性范围为0.05~10 μg/L,相关系数r均在0.99以上,低、中、高3种水平的加标回收率均在80.3%~117.6%之间,相对标准偏差（RSD,n=6）在5.09%~18.5%之间,方法检出限为0.01~0.02 μg/kg。20种多氯联苯总量在1.2~8.8 μg/kg（湿重）范围内,7个指示性多氯联苯总量在0.68~6.4 μg/kg（湿重）范围内。该方法缩短了分析时间,减少了有机溶剂的使用量,适合鱼样中多氯联苯的测定。     

多管漩涡混合-气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱测定油茶籽中18种多氯联苯

通过比较不同吸附剂的净化效果,建立了油茶籽中18种多氯联苯(PCBs)的气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱(GCQQQ-MS/MS)检测方法。油茶籽样品用乙腈提取,加氯化钠盐析,离心分层后提取液加无水硫酸镁、C18、N-丙基二乙胺(PSA)和多壁碳纳米管(NANO)进行多管漩涡振荡分散固相净化,GC-QQQ-MS/MS多反应监测(MRM)模式进行检测。结果表明,油茶籽中18种多氯联苯具有良好的线性关系,检出限为5μg/kg,平均回收率为109.2%,相对标准偏差为2.9%~6.2%(n=3)。方法应用于3个油茶主产省份油茶籽监测,48个油茶籽样品中18种多氯联苯均未检出。     

Determination of pesticides originating from golf courses by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A multi-residue method using liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), associated with solid-phase extraction (SPE), was developed for the determination of 21 pesticides in water samples. The compounds investigated are used for the maintenance of golf courses and ordinarily measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Electrospray ionisation (ESI) was applied to all compounds, and LC and MS conditions were optimised to measure them under SRM mode. This method showed excellent linearity ranges for all pesticides, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.996. Two kinds of extraction cartridges, namely, styrene divinylbenzene polymer (Sep-Pak PS-2) and divinylbenzene-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymer (Oasis HLB), were tested and the extraction conditions were optimised. All the pesticides were determined using acetonitrile and ethyl acetate as eluents in both cartridges, and good recoveries (>77%) and repeatability with low relative standard deviations (RSDs, <12%) were achieved from ultra-pure water. In addition, satisfactory recoveries (>76%) and low intra-day and inter-day RSDs (<15%) of all pesticides were also obtained with the Sep-Pak PS-2 cartridge when using river water. The method limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.068 (diazinon) and 3.9 (triclopyrbutoxyethyl)?ng?L^?1. The analytical method was successfully applied for the determination of pesticides in surface river water.     

Fast determination of herbicides in waters by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid multiresidue method for the analysis of more than 40 herbicides (such as simazine, terbuthylazine and diuron) in waters has been developed and validated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS). Prior to chromatographic determination, the samples were extracted using a solid-phase extraction procedure. The analysis was performed on an Acquity UPLC BEH C(18) column using a gradient elution profile and a mobile phase consisting of methanol and an aqueous solution of formic acid (0.01%). Other chromatographic and MS/MS parameters were optimised in order to improve selectivity and sensitivity of the analytes. The analytes were detected using electrospray ionisation (ESI)-MS/MS in positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), optimising parameters such as voltage cone, capillary voltage, source and desolvation temperature, and desolvation and cone gas flow. The optimised method provides a rapid separation (less than 10 min) of the selected herbicides in the assayed matrices, and it was validated by the analysis of spiked blank matrix samples. Good linearity was obtained and the repeatability of the method was less than 20% for the lowest calibration point. The limits of detection ranged from 0.002 to 0.02 microg/L, and the limits of quantification from 0.005 to 0.05 microg/L, which were below the values specified by the European Union. Finally, the method was successfully applied to real environmental samples from Andalusia (southern Spain). Terbuthylazine, simazine, atrazine desisopropyl and desethyl terbuthylazine were the herbicides most frequently found in water samples.     

Direct quantification of 11‐nor‐Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol‐9‐carboxylic acid in urine by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in relation to doping control analysis

An accurate and precise method for the quantification of 11‐nor‐Δ⁹‐tetrahydrocannabinol‐9‐carboxylic acid (THCA) in urine by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for doping analysis purposes has been developed. The method involves the use of only 200 µL of urine and the use of D₉‐THCA as internal standard. No extraction procedure is used. The urine samples are hydrolysed using sodium hydroxide and diluted with a mixture of methanol/glacial acetic acid (1:1). Chromatographic separation is achieved using a C8 column with gradient elution. All MS and MS/MS parameters were optimised in both positive and negative electrospray ionisation modes. For the identification and the quantification of THCA three product ions are monitored in both ionisation modes. The method is linear over the studied range (5–40 ng/mL), with satisfactory intra‐and inter‐assay precision, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) are lower than 15%. Good accuracy is achieved with bias less than 10% at all levels tested. No significant matrix effects are observed. The selectivity and specificity are satisfactory, and no interferences are detected. The LC/MS/MS method was applied for the analysis of 48 real urine samples previously analysed with a routine gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. A good correlation between the two methods was obtained (r² > 0.98) with a slope close to 1. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in milk

An effective multi‐residue pretreatment technique, solid‐phase extraction (SPE) combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME), was proposed for the trace analysis of 14 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in milk samples using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Interesting analytes in milk samples were extracted with hexane after protein precipitation. The hexane extracts were loaded on an LC‐Florisil column to isolate analytes from the milk matrix. The elutes were dried and dissolved in acetone, which was used as the disperser solvent in subsequent DLLME procedures. The effects of several important parameters on the extraction efficiency were evaluated. Under the optimized conditions, a linear relationship was obtained in the range of 0.02–10.00 μg/L (PCBs) and 0.5–100.00 μg/L (PBDEs). The LOD (S/N=3) and relative standard deviations (RSDs, n=5) for all analytes were 0.01–0.4 μg/L and 0.6–8.5%, respectively. The recoveries of the standards added to raw bovine milk samples were 74.0–131.8%, and the repeatabilities of the analysis results were 1.12–17.41%. This method has been successfully applied to estimating PCBs and PBDEs in milk samples.     

Development of a screening method to determine the pattern of fermentation metabolites in faecal samples using on-line purge-and-trap gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis

An on-line screening method to analyse volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in faecal samples was developed. VOCs were isolated from a standard solution or faecal samples using a purge-and-trap system and identified and quantified by GC–MS. The experimental conditions were optimised and the performance of the system was evaluated. Linear calibration curves were obtained with correlation coefficients of at least 0.992. RSDs within and between days were less than 10%. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of faecal samples, yielding 135 different volatile organic compounds identified in 11 faecal samples. Of those, 22 VOCs were found in all volunteers, whereas 34 VOCs were person-specific.     

Separation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans,non-ortho/mono/di/tri/tetra-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls,and polybrominated diphenyl ethers groups of compounds prior to their determination with large volume injection gas chromatography—Quadrupole ion storage tandem mass spectrometry

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are important environmental contaminants. Their maximum legally allowable levels in food and environment are in the low pg g⁻¹ range. Therefore some highly selective and sensitive analytical methods must be used to determine them. Prior to final determination by GC/MS the cleaned-up samples have to be split into some fractions in view of large differences in concentrations of various analytes and existence of numerous chromatographic co-elutions (which in any case cannot be fully avoided). The aim of this study was to: (i) develop a robust, time-saving analytical method to isolate, clean-up and fractionate PCBs, PBDEs and PCDD/Fs prior to their determination with gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry; (ii) assess method performance using laboratory validation data and some certified reference materials; (iii) use the developed method to assess PCB/PBDE/PCDD/F levels in samples of commercially available food. A combination of alumina, florisil, modified silica gel and two carbon columns were used for sample cleanup and fractionation. Separate fractions containing dioxins/furans, PBDE, non-ortho, mono-ortho and di-/tri-/tetra-ortho PCBs were obtained. The method statistical parameters were compatible with 1883/2006 EC Regulation (80–120%, RSD below 15%). The method performance was successfully used to evaluation of some real life food samples.     

加速溶剂萃取-硅胶柱净化-碱性氧化铝柱分离-气相色谱三重四极杆质谱法测定土壤中的二噁英类化合物

建立了加速溶剂萃取(ASE),酸性硅胶柱、复合硅胶柱及碱性氧化铝柱纯化分离,气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱测定土壤中二噁英/呋喃(PCDD/Fs)、多氯联苯(PCBs)、多氯萘(PCNs)的分析方法.选用正己烷-二氯甲烷(50∶50, V/V)作为ASE的提取溶剂,设定提取温度为120℃,加标回收实验表明本方法可行.用100 mL正己烷-二氯甲烷(95∶5, V/V)及50 mL正己烷-二氯甲烷(50∶50, V/V)依次淋洗碱性氧化铝柱,得到组分A(PCBs及PCNs)与组分B(PCDD/Fs),实现了PCDD/Fs与另外两种化合物的分离,排除了同系物间及其它杂质的干扰.使用同位素稀释-气相色谱三重四极杆质谱法(GC-MS/MS), 在选择反应监测(Selected reaction monitoring, SRM)模式下测定PCDD/Fs、PCBs和PCNs,3种化合物的仪器检出限(LOD)范围分别为0.04~0.25 μg/L, 0.10~0.20 μg/L和0.01~0.05 μg/L,目标物平均相对响应因子(RRF)的相对标准偏差(RSD)均小于13%.基质土加标实验中,3种化合物13C标记的同位素内标回收率的范围分别为50%~95%,51%~103%, 49%~74%.实际样品的分析结果表明,PCDD/Fs、PCBs及PCNs在土壤样品中的总含量范围分别为16.1~1148 pg/g、6.6~152.6 pg/g及10.9~99.5 pg/g,且样品测定结果与高分辨质谱测定结果相吻合.     

Analyses of polychlorinated biphenyls in waters and wastewaters using vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method was developed for viable and rapid determination of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water samples with vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). At first, the most suitable extraction solvent and extraction solvent volume were determined. Later, the parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as vortex extraction time, rotational speed of the vortex, and ionic strength of the sample were optimized by using a 2(3) factorial experimental design. The optimized extraction conditions for 5 mL water sample were as follows: extractant solvent 200 μL of chloroform; vortex extraction time of 2 min at 3000 rpm; centrifugation 5 min at 4000 rpm, and no ionic strength. Under the optimum condition, limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.36 to 0.73 ng/L. Mean recoveries of PCBs from fortified water samples are 96% for three different fortification levels and RSDs of the recoveries are below 5%. The developed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of PCBs in real water and wastewater samples such as tap, well, surface, bottled waters, and municipal, treated municipal, and industrial wastewaters. The performance of the proposed method was compared with traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) of real water samples and the results show that efficiency of proposed method is comparable to the LLE. However, the proposed method offers several advantages, i.e. reducing sample requirement for measurement of target compounds, less solvent consumption, and reducing the costs associated with solvent purchase and waste disposal. It is also viable, rapid, and easy to use for the analyses of PCBs in water samples by using GC-MS.     

自动样品前处理在乳品中二恶英和共平面多氯联苯同时测定中的应用

采用索氏提取及自动净化处理系统对乳品进行提取和净化,在高分辨气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦质谱仪(HRGC/HRMS)上进行定性和定量检测。在3种不同残留水平的奶粉样品中,17种多氯代二苯并-对二恶英和多氯代二苯并呋喃（PCDD/Fs）的测定结果与给定值具有很好的一致性,且所有具有保证值的二恶英同系物测定结果的相对标准偏差（RSD）均小于20%;12种共平面多氯联苯（PCBs）测定结果的RSD均在15%以内,内标物的回收率为44%～133%,完全符合国际标准方法的要求。母乳样品的国际考核结果表明本方法在不同实验室间具有良好的准确度和精密度。本方法定量准确可靠,适用于乳品中二恶英及共平面PCBs的同时检测。     

Simultaneous extraction of several persistent organic pollutants in sediment using focused ultrasonic solid-liquid extraction

Focused ultrasonic solid-liquid extraction (FUSLE) has been optimised for simultaneous analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalate esters (PEs), and nonylphenols (NPs) in sediment samples. Optimisation was performed using naturally polluted freeze-dried sediment samples. The variables studied during the optimisation process were: percentage of maximum power (10-60%), extraction time (10-300 s), number of cycles (1-9), composition of the extraction solvent (acetone-n-hexane, 10:90-90:10), and sample mass (0.1-1 g). The volume of the extractant was constant (10 mL) and the extraction was performed at 0 degrees C in an ice-bath during the optimisation process. All these variables were studied using an experimental design approach by means of The Unscrambler software. The extraction time and the operational variables (number of cycles and power) had no statistically significant effect in the extraction and they were held at 2 min, 20% power, and seven cycles, respectively. The mass and the addition of non-polar solvent (n-hexane) had a negative effect in the extraction yield and, thus, the mass was held at 0.5 g and pure acetone was used as extraction solvent. After those variables were optimised, the effect of the extraction temperature (0 degrees C or room temperature) was also studied. The validation of the extraction method was performed using NIST-1944 reference material in the case of PAHs and PCBs. Because no certified reference sediment is available for PEs and NPs, the results obtained for FUSLE were compared with those obtained for microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) under conditions optimised elsewhere. In all the cases the analysis were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Good accuracy were achieved in all cases. The limits of detection (LODs) obtained were between 0.10 and 1.70 ng g(-1) for PAHs (except for naphthalene 5.33 ng g(-1)), 0.02 and 0.16 ng g(-1) for PCBs, 46 and 188 ng g(-1) for PEs, and 0.6 and 12.4 microg g(-1) for NPs. The precision was around 5-10% for most of the PAHs and PCBs and around 2-10% for most of the PEs and NPs.     

Determination of trace level chemical warfare agents in water and slurry samples using hollow fibre-protected liquid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A simple and solvent-minimised sample preparation technique based on hollow fibre-protected liquid-phase microextraction was investigated for the gas chromatography/mass spectrometric analysis of chemical warfare agents in water and slurry samples. The chemical warfare agents included four nerve agents and a blister agent. Parameters such as extraction solvent, salt concentration, stirring speed and extraction time were optimised using spiked deionised water samples. The technique provided a linear range of two orders of magnitude, good repeatability (RSDs < 10%, n = 6), good linearity (r2 >or= 0.995) and limits of detection (LODs) in the range of 0.02-0.09 microg l(-1) (S/N = 3) under full scan mode. The optimised technique was also applied to more complex slurry samples and similar precision (RSD < 15%, n = 3) and limits of detection (0.02-0.2 microgl(-1), S/N = 3) were obtained.     

加速溶剂提取-同位素稀释-高分辨气相色谱-高分辨质谱法测定生物样品中82种多氯联苯

我国水产品中多氯联苯(PCBs)的检测方法,主要以6种指示性PCBs和12种二噁英类共平面PCBs为主,仅涵盖有限的PCBs。为更全面地获得生物体中PCBs的浓度水平,深入探讨PCBs在生物体内的代谢和富集特征,进而准确评价PCBs对人类的暴露水平及风险,以鱼和贝类作为生物样品代表,建立了加速溶剂提取-同位素稀释-高分辨气相色谱-高分辨质谱(ASE-ID-HRGC-HRMS)测定生物样品中82种PCBs的方法。比较了振荡提取和加速溶剂提取两种提取方式的回收率和重复性,最终采用正己烷-二氯甲烷(1∶1, v/v)对PCBs进行加速溶剂提取。考察了各流分淋洗液对PCBs的回收率,确定了样品提取液经8 g 44%酸性硅胶层析柱(内径15 mm), 90 mL正己烷洗脱的净化方式。样品提取液净化浓缩后进行HRGC-HRMS分析,色谱柱采用DB-5MS超低流失石英毛细管柱(60 m×0.25 mm×0.25 μm)。通过优化后的升温程序对化合物进行分离,以保留时间和两个特征离子精准定性,采用同位素内标法定量。结果表明,在0.1~200 μg/L范围内,平均相对响应因子(RRF)的相对标准偏差值(RSD, n=7)均≤20%,相关系数(r²)>0.99。生物样品中PCBs的方法检出限为0.02~3 pg/g;鱼类中PCBs平均加标回收率为71.3%~141%, RSD(n=7)为2.1%~14%;贝类中PCBs平均加标回收率为76.9%~143%, RSD为1.4%~11%。该方法灵敏、准确、可靠,可以更加全面具体地分析鱼和贝类等水产品受PCBs的污染情况,为国内外开展生物监测提供有效的技术支持,从而服务于相关生态环境管理及履行《斯德哥尔摩公约》。     

Comprehensive multiresidue method for the simultaneous determination of 74 pesticides and metabolites in traditional Chinese herbal medicines by accelerated solvent extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

In this paper, a multiresidue method for the simultaneous target analysis of 74 pesticides and metabolites in traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) was developed using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) coupled with HPLC/MS/MS. Pesticide residues were extracted from the different samples using ASE, then purified by gel permeation chromatography and graphitized carbon black/primary, secondary amine SPE. Gradient elution was used in conjunction with positive mode electrospray ionization MS/MS to detect 74 pesticides and metabolites from Cortex Cinnamomi, Flos Carthami, Folium Ginkgo, Herba Pogostemonis, Radix Ginseng, and Semen Ginkgo using a single chromatographic run. The analytical performance was demonstrated by the analysis of extracts spiked at three concentration levels ranging from 0.005 to 0.125 mg/kg for each pesticide and metabolite. In general, recoveries ranging from 70 to 110%, with RSDs better than 15%, were obtained. The recovery and repeatability data were in good accordance with European Union guidelines for pesticide residue analysis. The LOD for most of the targeted pesticides and metabolites tested was below 0.01 mg/kg.     

Molecularly imprinted polymer grafted to porous polyethylene frits: a new selective solid-phase extraction format

In this paper, a novel format for selective solid-phase extraction based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is described. A small amount of MIP has been synthesized within the pores of commercial polyethylene (PE) frits and attached to its surface using benzophenone (BP), a photo-initiator capable to start the polymerisation from the surface of the support material. Key properties affecting the obtainment of a proper polymeric layer, such as polymerisation time and kind of cross-linker were optimised. The developed imprinted material has been applied as a selective sorbent for cleaning extracts of thiabendazole (TBZ), as model compound, from citrus samples. The use of different solvents for loading the analyte in the imprinted frits was investigated, as well as the binding capacity of the imprinted polymer. Imprinted frits showed good selectivity when loads were performed using toluene and a linear relationship was obtained for the target analyte up to 1000 ng of loaded analyte. Prepared composite material was applied to the SPE of TBZ in real samples extracts, showing an impressive clean-up ability. Calibrations showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.05-5.00 μg g(-1), referred to the original solid sample, and the regression coefficients obtained were greater than 0.996. The calculated detection limit was 0.016 μg g(-1), low enough to satisfactory analysis of TBZ in real samples. RSDs at different spiking levels ranged below 15% in all the cases and imprinted frits were reusable without loss in their performance.     

Determination of methotrexate in environmental samples by solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography: ultraviolet or tandem mass spectrometry detection?

In order to assess exposure levels of hospital personnel involved in the preparation and administration of antineoplastic drugs, environmental monitoring should be carried out. Wipe samples, pads, gloves and air samples should be collected at the end of each work shift, properly treated and then analysed using instrumental techniques which are sufficiently sensitive and specific to detect even trace amounts of drug. In this study, a method using high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS), incorporating solid phase extraction (SPE), was validated for determination of methotrexate (MTX) in wipe and air samples. Each step of the method was first developed and optimised using ultraviolet detection (UV), and afterwards tandem mass spectrometry was used to obtain a lower limit of quantitation when the expected drug level was less than the analytical UV detection limit. SPE enabled a 20-fold preconcentration of the analyte when using HPLC/UV and a further 30-fold preconcentration was obtained when analysing samples by HPLC/MS/MS. For example, the limit of quantitation (LLQ) was lowered from 3000 ng on wipe (direct injection onto an HPLC/UV system) to 5 ng on wipe (SPE plus HPLC/MS/MS). 7-hydroxymethotrexate was used as internal standard to assess precision and accuracy.     

低温冷冻及分散固相萃取净化-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定植物油中104种农药残留

建立了适用于植物油中104种农药残留的检测方法。通过液液萃取(LLE)提取目标化合物,再借助离心、冷冻和分散固相萃取(D-SPE)净化手段,依托超高效液相色谱-串联质谱测定。以回收率和共提取物为衡量指标,着重优化了6种提取方式、不同冷冻时间及PSA(primary secondary amine)、GCB(graphite carbon black)和C18这3种不同固相萃取填料不同组合的效果。在0.01、0.02和0.05 mg/kg水平的平均添加回收率为55%~121%, RSD为0.47%~19.2%, 80%的目标物的定量限可达到1 μg/kg,低于我国相关标准限量,能够满足多种农药残留同时分析的要求。该方法步骤简便、可靠、稳定,可应用于进口植物油中多种农药残留的快速检测与确证的日常检测工作中,具有一定的推广价值。