Application of polydimethylsiloxane rod extraction to the determination of sixteen halogenated flame retardants in water samples

An extraction and preconcentration procedure for the determination in water samples of several halogenated flame retardants (FRs), nine brominated diphenyls ethers (BDEs) and seven non-BDE FRs, was developed and validated. The optimised procedure is based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) rods as sorptive extraction material, followed by liquid desorption and gas chromatography coupled to negative chemical ionisation–mass spectrometry (GC–NCI–MS) determination, rendering an efficient and inexpensive method. The final optimised protocol consists of overnight extraction of 100 mL of sample solutions containing 40% MeOH and 4% NaCl, followed by a 15-min sonication-assisted desorption with 300 μL of ethyl acetate, solvent evaporation and GC–NCI–MS analysis. Under these conditions, extraction efficiencies in the 9 to 70% range were obtained, leading to enrichment factors between 108 and 840, detection limits in the range from 0.4 to 10 ng L⁻¹and RSD values in the 2–23% range. After method validation, different real water samples, including river, ria, sea, landfill leachate, influent and effluent wastewater from an urban sewage treatment plant (STP) and effluent wastewater from a textile industry, were analysed. BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100 and BDE-197 were detected in wastewater and landfill leachate samples at concentration levels up to 2887 ng L⁻¹. Among the non-BDE FRs, bis (2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (DEHTBP) was detected in surface water samples (sea, river and ria) between 1.3 and 2.2 ng L⁻¹ and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) in the landfill leachate (64 ng L⁻¹).     

A Total Solution to Baseline Separation of 20 Brominated Flame Retardant Additives in Electronic Products with Automated Soxhlet Hot Extraction and Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry

An efficient and reliable separation technique based on automated Soxhlet hot extraction (AHSE) was developed and validated. It can be applied to rapid separations of 20 persistent organic pollutants, including two types of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) contained in nonmetallic component parts of electronic products. The qualitative chromatographic analyses were carried out by using a gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry detector (GC‐MS). The 20 persistent organic pollutants were simultaneously and completely separated by a 15 meter HP‐5MS short capillary column in 25 minutes. Through the tests of extraction performance, effects of solvent and extraction time on selected BFRs were investigated; toluene and 120 min extraction time were chose as the optimum conditions. Besides, this article examines the influence of temperature on the chromatographic analysis, the optimum temperature parameters were 280 °C and 320 °C for injector and column, respectively. The ASHE‐GCMS method was validated for the analysis of the certified reference material of CRM8110‐a and IRMM310. The limits of detection (LOD) for polymer sample was 0.55‐4.50 μg mL^?1; linearity range from 0.11 to 16 μg mL^?1. The proposed methodology can fully meet the requirement of relational directives.     

An analytical multi-residue approach for the determination of semi-volatile organic pollutants in pine needles

Vegetation (and pine needles in particular) has been widely used as an alternative to other conventional sampling devices to assess the atmospheric presence of semi-volatile organic contaminants (SVOCs). While most analytical procedures developed focus only on one or two chemical classes, this this work intends to establish a multi-component protocol to quantify brominated flame-retardants (BFRs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and one class of contaminant of emerging concern, the synthetic musks fragrances (SMCs). Pine needles extracts were obtained by ultrasonic solvents extraction (USE), and different cleanup approaches using solid-phase extraction (SPE) employing combinations of sorbents and solvents as well as gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were tested. SPE with alumina followed by GCP yielded the best results, with average recoveries over 80%.     

“One-shot” analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their hydroxylated and methoxylated analogs in human breast milk and serum using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their hydroxylated (OH-BDE) and methoxylated (MeO-BDE) analogs in humans is an area of high interest to scientists and the public due to their neurotoxic and endocrine disrupting effects. Consequently, there is a rise in the investigation of the occurrence of these three classes of compounds together in environmental matrices and in humans in order to understand their bioaccumulation patterns. Analysis of PBDEs, OH-BDEs, and MeO-BDEs using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can be accomplished simultaneously, but detection limits for PBDEs and MeO-BDEs in LC-MS is insufficient for trace level quantification. Therefore, fractionation steps of the phenolic (OH-BDEs) and neutral (PBDEs and MeO-BDEs) compounds during sample preparation are typically performed so that different analytical techniques can be used to achieve the needed sensitivities. However, this approach involves multiple injections, ultimately increasing analysis time. In this study, an analytical method was developed for a “one-shot” analysis of 12 PBDEs, 12 OH-BDEs, and 13 MeO-BDEs using gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). This overall method includes simultaneous extraction of all analytes via pressurized liquid extraction followed by lipid removal steps to reduce matrix interferences. The OH-BDEs were derivatized using N-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide (TBDMS-MTFA), producing OH-TBDMS derivatives that can be analyzed together with PBDEs and MeO-BDEs by GC-MS/MS in “one shot” within a 25-min run time. The overall recoveries were generally higher than 65%, and the limits of detection ranged from 2 to 14 pg in both breast milk and serum matrices. The applicability of the method was successfully validated on four paired human breast milk and serum samples. The mean concentrations of total PBDEs, OH-BDEs, and MeO-BDEs in breast milk were 59, 2.2, and 0.57 ng g⁻¹ lipid, respectively. In serum, the mean total concentrations were 79, 38, and 0.96 ng g⁻¹ lipid, respectively, exhibiting different distribution profiles from the levels detected in breast milk. This “one-shot” GC-MS/MS method will prove useful and cost-effective in large-scale studies needed to further understand the partitioning behavior, and ultimately the adverse health effects, of these important classes of brominated flame retardants in humans.     

Magnetic solid‐phase extraction of brominated flame retardants from environmental waters with graphene‐doped Fe3O4 nanocomposites

Graphene‐doped Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were prepared by a solvothermal reaction of an iron source with graphene. The nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, superconducting quantum interference, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This nanomaterial has been used as a magnetic solid‐phase extraction sorbent to extract trace brominated flame retardants from environmental waters. Various extraction parameters were optimized including dosage and reusability of the nanocomposites, and pH of sample matrix. The reliability of the magnetic solid‐phase extraction protocol based on graphene‐doped Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites was evaluated by investigating the recoveries of 2,4,6‐tribromophenol, tetrabromobisphenol A, 4‐bromodiphenyl ether, and 4,4?‐dibromodiphenyl ether in water samples. Good recoveries (85.0–105.0%) were achieved with the relative standard deviation ranging from 1.1–7.1%. Moreover, it is speculated from characterization and magnetic solid‐phase extraction experiment that there is not only π–π stacking but also possible hydrophobic interaction between the graphene‐doped Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites and analytes.     

溴代二噁英的分析方法研究进展

溴代二噁英（PBDD/Fs）属于潜在的持久性有机污染物,是一种平面三环芳香化合物,具有致畸、致癌、致突变等特性。目前,对PBDD/Fs的分析检测的研究是一大热点,但国内研究较少。因此,探究PBDD/Fs的分析检测方法,对进一步控制PBDD/Fs污染具有重要科学意义。本文介绍了PBDD/Fs的特性及其分析方法,着重探讨了PBDD/Fs的提取、净化、仪器分析以及质量控制,以便了解当前溴代二噁英的分析检测水平,为后续开展溴代二噁英的分析检测提供方法参考。     

Methods for determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental samples - review

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants. They are used as flame retardants in plastics, paints, varnishes and textile materials. PBDEs pose great risk to the environment because of their high persistence and ability to get into the environment easily due to the lack of chemical bonds with the matrix of materials, to which they are added. Global research studies confirmed the occurrence of those compounds in the majority of elements of water and land environment. Analysis of PBDEs in environmental samples is one of the specific analytical methods of criteria that comprise low detection limits and high selectivity. The analysis of PBDEs in environmental samples is one of the specific analytical methods, in which the main criteria are low detection limits and high selectivity. In this article, a literature review of methods for environmental sample preparation and analysis of the PBDE content was presented. The article discusses the potential of modern extraction techniques such as: solid-phase microextraction, single-drop microextraction, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, microwave-assisted extraction, cloud point extraction, hollow fibre-liquid phase microextraction and others for the separation of PBDEs from environmental samples with a complex matrix. Among the methods for qualitative and quantitative determination of PBDEs, a particular focus was put on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with various injection techniques and different types of sample ionisation.     

苯基膦酸铈与十溴二苯醚在玻璃纤维增强聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯中的协同阻燃抑烟机理

采用熔融共混法制备了玻璃纤维增强聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯(PET-GF)/十溴二苯醚(DBDPO)/苯基膦酸铈(CeHPP)复合材料, 通过锥型量热仪(Cone)对复合材料的燃烧行为进行综合分析, 采用热失重-红外联用(TG-FTIR)分析了复合材料热降解过程中气体的释放量和主要成分, 并使用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 能量色散X射线光谱仪(EDX)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对复合材料燃烧后的残炭形貌、 残炭所含元素及含量等进行表征. 实验结果表明, 当CeHPP与DBDPO两者复配使用时, PET-GF/DBDPO/CeHPP复合材料的热解过程受到抑制, 凝聚相的燃烧减缓, 材料总的热分解量降低, 烟气释放量明显减小. 这主要是由于CeHPP在燃烧过程中形成了连续致密的残炭, 分布于基材和玻璃纤维表面, 将部分DBDPO及其分解产物滞留于凝聚相, 从而实现了气相-凝聚相双重阻燃作用, 有效阻隔了挥发性气体产物的释放.     

Application of pharmacokinetic modelling for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exposure assessment

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and mono- and non-ortho polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) are identified as a family or group of organic compounds known as ‘dioxins’ or dioxin-like chemicals (DLCs). The most toxic member of this group is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-(p)-dioxin (TCDD). Historically, DLCs have caused a variety of negative human health effects, but a disfiguring skin condition known as chloracne is the only health effect reported consistently. As part of translational research to make computerized models accessible to health risk assessors, the Concentration- and Age-Dependent Model (CADM) for TCDD was recoded in the Berkeley Madonna simulation language. The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s computational toxicology laboratory used the recoded model to predict TCDD tissue concentrations at different exposure levels. The model simulations successfully reproduced the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2002 TCDD data in age groups from 6 to 60 years and older, as well as in other human datasets. The model also enabled the estimation of lipid-normalized serum TCDD concentrations in breastfed infants. The model performed best for low background exposures over time compared with a high acute poisoning case that could due to the large dose and associated liver toxicity. Hence, this model may be useful for interpreting human biomonitoring data as a part of an overall DLC risk assessment.     

Two Brominated-sesquiterpene from Alga Laurencia Majuscula

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