Considerations on Static and Dynamic Sorptive and Adsorptive Sampling to Monitor Volatiles Emitted by Living Plants

Static and dynamic headspace sampling have been applied for the enrichment of volatiles emitted by living plants. For solid phase microextraction (SPME) the sorptive fibers polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyacrylate (PA) have been compared and, in accordance with the like‐like principle, polar compounds exhibit more affinity for the PA fiber while apolar solutes favor the PDMS fiber. For dynamic sampling, tubes packed with PDMS particles show greater inertness than Tenax; some Tenax decomposition products, e.g. benzaldehyde and acetophenone, interfere with the analyses. With PDMS particles operated in the breakthrough mode, the obtained profiles are similar to those obtained by SPME on the PA fiber. Recoveries relative to a packed PDMS bed are 85% for Tenax, 2.4% for SPME‐PDMS, and 6.2% for SPME‐PA.     

Speciation of dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method has been developed to determine two methylated arsenic species in human urine samples by GC-MS. The direct extraction of the methyl arsenic compounds by SPME after thioglycol methylate derivatization was studied. Direct extraction with SPME was suitable for the determination of trace levels of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) in urine samples. Four different commercial SPME fibers were tested for the extraction of methyl arsenic compounds, and the best results were obtained using the polydimethylsiloxane coating. The extraction and desorption time profiles of DMA and MMA were determined. The detection limits for DMA and MMA using the SPME-GC-MS method were 0.12 and 0.29 ng/ml, respectively. The method is linear in the 1 to 200 ng/ml range.     

Solid-phase microextraction/capillary gas chromatography for the profiling of confiscated ecstacy and amphetamine

Summary Impurity profiling of ecstacy and amphetamine seizures was accomplished by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with capillary gas chromatography (GC). Samples were dissolved in 0.1 M aqueous acetate buffer (pH 5.0) as the only manual operation and subsequently subjected to SPME-GC. Ecstacy tablets were analyzed by head-space SPME to avoid contamination of SPME fibers with insoluble tablet components, while illicit amphetamine powders were exposed to immersed SPME. A SPME fiber of polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene was found to provide excellent extraction of both polar and non-polar impurities. For both illicit ecstacy and amphetamine, complex impurity profiles were obtained by SPME providing a high information content. For ecstacy, profiles (relative peak areas) were repeatable within 2.2 to 12.6% RSD (n=6) while similar data on amphetamine varied between 2.0 and 10.9% RSD (n=6). No carry-over was observed although each fiber was used for 50 to 100 extractions.     

Diffusive sampling of methylene chloride with solid phase microextraction

This study examined the characteristics of a solid phase microextraction (SPME) assembly as a passive sampler to determine the short-term exposure level (STEL) of methylene chloride. Two types of SPME fibers and six sampling-related factors were chosen and nested in an L(18) Taguchi's orthogonal array. Samples were thermally desorpted and analyzed by gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (GC/ECD). The use of 85-mum Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (Car/PDMS) fibers resulted in greater adsorbed mass, which was highly correlated with the product of concentration and sampling time (r>0.99, p<0.0001), than 85-microm polyacrylate fibers. The sampling rate (SR) of the 85-microm Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fibers was not significantly affected by variations in relative humidity (0-80%) and coexistent toluene (none to 100 ppm). Variance of sampling rate was predominantly attributed to the diffusive path length (86.4%) and sampling time (5.7%). With diffusive paths of 3, 10 and 15 mm, the sampling rates of 85-microm Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fibers for methylene chloride were 1.4 x 10(-2), 7.7 x 10(-3) and 5.1 x1 0(-3)mL min(-1), respectively. The measured sampling rates were greater than the theoretical values, and decreased with increment of sampling time until they came to constant.     

Solid-phase microextraction for determining the distribution of sixteen US Environmental Protection Agency polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) procedure has been developed for the determination of 16 US Environmental Protection Agency promulgated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Five kinds of SPME fibers were used and compared in this study. The extracted sample was analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection or mass spectrometry. Parameters affecting the sorption of analyte into the fibers, including sampling time, thickness of the fiber coating, and the effect of temperature, have been examined. Moreover, the feasibility of headspace SPME with different working temperatures was evaluated. The method was also applied to real samples. The 85-microm polyacrylate (PA) and 100-microm poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) fibers were shown to have the highest affinities for the selected PAHs. The PA fiber was more suitable than the PDMS fiber for the determination of low-ring PAHs while high sensitivity of high-ring PAHs was observed when a 100-microm PDMS fiber was used. The method showed good linearity between 0.1 and 100 ng/ml with regression coefficients ranging from 0.94 to 0.999. The reproducibility of the measurements between fibers was found to be very good. The precisions of PA and PDMS fibers were from 3 to 24% and from 3 to 14%, respectively. Headspace SPME is a valid alternative for the determination of two- to five-ring PAHs. A working temperature of 60 degrees C provides significant enhancement in sensitivity of two- to five-ring PAHs having low vapor pressures (>10(-6) mmHg at 25 degrees C) (1 mmHg = 133.3 Pa) and low Henry's constants (>10 atm ml/mol) (1 atm = 1.01 x 10(5) Pa).     

Solid-phase microextraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography to determine phenolic compounds in water samples

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) and electrochemical detection (ED) has been applied to determine 11 phenolic compounds considered priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency. 85 microm polyacrylate fibers were used to extract the analytes from the aqueous samples. Two different designs of the liquid chromatograph were compared in combination with SPME. Dynamic and static modes of desorption in both HPLC designs were compared and the variables affecting both absorption and desorption processes in SPME-HPLC were optimized. Static desorption in both HPLC systems showed better recoveries for the phenolic compounds. The performance of the SPME-HPLC-UV-ED method was evaluated with river water and wastewater samples. The method enabled the determination of phenolic compounds at low levels in these water samples.     

On-line determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with thermionic-selective detection

This paper describes the extraction of 49 organophosphorus pesti-cides (OPPs) from water samples using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Three fibers, including a 15-μm XAD-coated fiber, a 85-μm polyacrylate-coated fiber, and a 30-μm polydimethylsilox-ane-coated fiber (PDMS), were evaluated here. The effects of stirring and the addition of NaCl to the sample were examined for the polyacrylate-coated fiber. The precision of the technique was examined for all three fibers and the extraction kinetics were investigated using the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers. With some exceptions, the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers performed better than the PDMS-coated fiber. The superiority of the XAD-nd polyacrylate-coated fiber. The superiority of the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers over the PDMS-coated fibers can be attribuibuted to the aromatic functionalities of the XAD and the polar functionalities in the polyacrylate. The relatively high percent RSDs indicate that the SPME technique needs to be further refined before it can be used for anything other than screening. A more effective form of agitation than mechanical stirring may be neccessary to reduce variability and achieve a faster equilibrium between the sample and the SPME fiber.     

Characterization of sorption mechanisms of solid-phase microextraction with volatile organic compounds in air samples using a linear solvation energy relationship approach

The linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) model was used to characterize interactions responsible for sorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air samples on six different solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers at 296K and zero relative humidity. The polydimethylsiloxane and polyacrylate fibers sorption data were also modeled at different relative humidities in the range of 10-90% and influence of water vapors on the extraction process is discussed. The LSER equations were obtained by a multiple regression of the distribution coefficients of 14 probe solutes on an appropriate SPME fiber against the solvation parameters of the solutes. The derived LSER equations successfully predicted the VOC distribution coefficients and the selectivity of individual SPME fibers for the various volatile solutes. The LSER approach coupled with SPME is a relatively simple and reliable tool to rapidly characterize the sorption mechanism of VOCs with various stationary phases and may potentially be applied to design and test new chromatographic materials for sampling or separation of VOCs.     

The preparation, properties and application of carbon fibers for SPME

The conditions of preparation of new types of carbon fibers for solid phase micro extraction (SPME) prepared by methylene chloride pyrolysis (at 600 °C) on the quartz fiber (100 μm) as well as by supporting synthetic active carbon (prepared especially for this purposes) supported in a special epoxide-acrylic polymer is described. The properties of such carbon fibers for SPME were defined by determination of the partition coefficient of the tested substances (i.e., benzene, toluene, xylenes, trichloromethane and tetrachloromethane) and by the microscopic investigations with the application of the optical and scanning electron microscope.

The obtained carbon SPME fibers were applied to the analysis of some volatile organic compounds from its aqueous matrix. During chromatographic GC test, at the investigated SPME carbon fibers, we obtained different but mostly high partition coefficients for the determined compounds (Kfs from 120 for trichloromethane up to 11,500 for tetrachloromethane).

Owing to the high partition coefficients of the studied substances obtained on carbon fibers, it was possible to do the analysis of organic substances occurring in trace amounts in different matrices. In this paper, we present the analysis of BTX contents in the petrol analyzed with the application carbonized with CH₂Cl₂ SPME fiber (C1NM) and a headspace over the petrol sample (concentration of each BTX g/dm³).     

Solid phase microextraction sampling of high explosive residues in the presence of radionuclides and radionuclide surrogate metals

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory currently does not have on site facilities for handling radioactive evidentiary materials and there are no established FBI methods or procedures for decontaminating high explosive (HE) evidence while maintaining evidentiary value. One experimental method for the isolation of HE residue involves using solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers to remove residue of interest. Due to their high affinity for organics, SPME fibers should have little affinity for most metals. However, no studies have measured the affinity of radionuclides for SPME fibers. The focus of this research was to examine the affinity of dissolved radionuclide (^239/240Pu, ²³⁸U, ²³⁷Np, ⁸⁵Sr, ¹³³Ba, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co and ²²⁶Ra) and stable radionuclide surrogate metals (Sr, Co, Ir, Re, Ni, Ba, Cs, Nb, Ru, and Nd) for SPME fibers at the exposure conditions that favor the uptake of HE residues. Our results from radiochemical and mass spectrometric analyses indicate these metals have little measurable affinity for these SPME fibers during conditions that are conducive to HE residue uptake with subsequent analysis by liquid or gas phase chromatography with mass spectrometric detection.     

Solid-phase microextraction of the antifouling Irgarol 1051 and the fungicides dichlofluanid and 4-chloro-3-methylphenol in water samples.

Three pesticides usually added to paint formulations, Irgarol 1051, dichlofluanid and 4-chloro-3-methylphenol, were determined by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with 85-micron polyacrylate fibers and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The parameters affecting the SPME process (the pH, the addition of salt to the sample, and the time and temperature of the absorption step) were optimized. The method developed was applied to the analysis of water samples from Ebro river, marinas and fishing ports. The method enables these compounds to be detected at concentrations between 0.2 and 3.0 micrograms l-1 under full scan conditions and between 0.05 and 0.08 microgram l-1 under SIM mode.     

Flexibility of solid-phase microextraction for passive sampling of atmospheric pesticides

For low volatile pesticides, the applications of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) as an air sampler were reported with sampling time chosen in the linear stage of the sorption kinetics because of long equilibrium time. In these pre-equilibrium conditions, sampling rates (SRs) expressed as the volume of air sampled by the SPME sampler per unit of time, were used to estimate analytes concentrations in air. In the present study, to achieve good extraction performance and accurate calibration, the sorption kinetics of several pesticides with SPME were investigated in detail, with a focus on parameters influencing SRs. Linear air velocity was found to be the main parameter affecting SRs. For exposed fibers, with air velocities below 20–25 cm s⁻¹, SRs increased with increasing air velocity. When linear air velocity was equal to or greater than 25–30 cm s⁻¹, it had little effect on SRs. To improve the flexibility of SPME, different configurations of SPME were compared, i.e. different lengths of fibers exposed, retracted fibers, exposed fibers with grids. SRs were linearly proportional to exposed lengths of fibers. Using grids, lower SRs and wider calibration time range were achieved. SRs for retracted fibers were the lowest among the different experimented configurations. The accuracy of calibration was improved and more flexibility of SPME was provided.     

Cold vapor-solid phase microextraction using amalgamation in different Pd-based substrates combined with direct thermal desorption in a modified absorption cell for the determination of Hg by atomic absorption spectrometry

In this work, different Pd-based substrates (i.e. Pd wire, Pd-coated stainless steel wire and Pd-coated SiO₂) are tried for microextraction of Hg prior to its release into a modified quartz T-cell so as to develop a cost-effective, sensitive and easy-to-handle coupling between solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and atomic absorption spectrometry. The new design allows a direct sample injection from the SPME device into a quartz T-cell thus avoiding analyte dilution. Mercury amalgamation onto a Pd wire provided the best performance in respect to sensitivity and fiber lifetime, but Pd wires could not be implemented in the SPME device due to their poor mechanical characteristics. On the contrary, Pd-coated SiO₂ fibers could be easily adapted to the typical sampling device used for SPME. Narrow time-dependent absorption signal profiles that could be integrated within 25 s were obtained. The detection limit was 90 pg mL⁻¹ of Hg, and the repeatability expressed as relative standard deviation was 4.3%.     

Comparison of simultaneous distillation extraction and solid-phase microextraction for the determination of volatile flavor components

Traditional simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) techniques were compared for their effectiveness in the extraction of volatile flavor compounds from various mustard paste samples. Each method was used to evaluate the responses of some analytes from real samples and calibration standards in order to provide sensitivity comparisons between the two techniques. Experimental results showed traditional SDE lacked the sensitivity needed to evaluate certain flavor volatiles, such as 1,2-propanediol. Dramatic improvements in the extraction ability of the SPME fibers over the traditional SDE method were noted. Different SPME fibers were investigated to determine the selectivity of the various fibers to the different flavor compounds present in the mustard paste samples. Parameters that might affect the SPME, such as the duration of absorption and desorption, temperature of extraction, and the polarity and structure of the fiber were investigated. Of the various fibers investigated, the PDMS–DVB fiber proved to be the most desirable for these analytes.     

固相微萃取-气相色谱/质谱测定植物叶片中的挥发性物质

采用固相微萃取（SPME)方法吸附植物叶片中的挥发性物质,然后采用气相色谱/质谱法（GC/MS）分析了挥发性物 质的成分。在45 ℃水浴温度下,采用Polyacrylate(85 μm)固相微萃取头,在广口瓶中植物叶片的上方顶空吸附60 min,然后进行GC/MS分析。结果表明,植物叶片中的挥发性物质得到了很好的分离,受山楂叶螨(Tetraychus vienneis) 危害严重的植物的完好叶片中的挥发性物质均含有顺-3-己烯-1-醇乙酸酯、顺-3-己烯-1-醇丁酸酯和α-法呢烯,且含量 较大。初步确定这些物质是对山楂叶螨具有引诱作用的主要物质,从而为利用天然生物活性物质防治山楂叶螨提供了理论 依据。     

Determination of polydimethylsiloxane-seawater distribution coefficients for polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated pesticides by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Applications of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in the measurement of very hydrophobic organic compounds (VHOCs) are limited, partly due to the difficulty of calibrating SPME fibers for VHOCs. This study used a static SPME strategy with a large sample volume (1.6 L) and a five-point calibration procedure to determine the distribution coefficients for a large suite of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides between a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) phase (100 microm thickness) coated on a glass fiber and seawater. An extraction time of 12 days was deemed adequate for equilibrium calibration from kinetic experiments. Two groups of randomly selected fibers divided into three batches (up to nine fibers in each batch) were processed separately with two gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) systems. Matrix effects arising from losses of the analytes to glass container walls and stirring bars were corrected. Relative standard deviations within the same batch were generally smaller than those for the entire group. Furthermore, KfVf (Kf and Vf are the distribution coefficient of an analyte between the polymer-coated fiber and aqueous phase and the fiber volume, respectively) values determined with two GC-MS systems were statistically different. These results indicate the calibrated KfVf values were less affected by the random selection of SPME fibers than by other experimental conditions, and therefore average KfVf values may be used for the same type of commercially available SPME fibers. The relative accuracy of our calibration method was similar to that of a previous study [P. Mayer. W.H.J. Vaes, J.L.M. Hermens, Anal. Chem. 72 (2000) 459] employing different coating thickness and calibration procedure. The present study also obtained a bell-shaped relationship between log Kf and log Kow (octanol-water partition coefficient) for PCB congeners with the maximum log Kf corresponding to log Kow approximately 6.5. This bell-shaped relationship was attributed mainly to steric effects arising from the interplay between the PDMS thickness and molecular sizes of the target analytes.     

固相微萃取/气相色谱-质谱法对乌梅浸膏挥发性成分的分析研究

对乌梅浸膏挥发性物质的固相微萃取条件进行了研究。运用正交实验设计,比较了不同萃取头、平衡温度及采样时间对分析结果的影响,通过气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)的分析监控,结合信息量最大原则,确定了固相微萃取的最佳条件:萃取纤维头为聚二甲基硅氧烷,平衡温度为70℃,采样时间45 min。通过GC-MS进行定性定量分析,共鉴定出38种成分,主要挥发性成分依次为糠醛(24.88%)、2-甲基-3-羟基苯甲醛(13.57%)和5-甲基糠醛(10.16%)。     

Faster and simpler determination of chlorophenols in water by fiber introduction mass spectrometry

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) of chlorophenols [2-chlorophenol (2CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (24CP), 4-chloro-3-methylphenol (43CP), 2,4,6-tri-chlorophenol (246CP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP)] followed by direct mass spectrometric analysis has been performed by fiber introduction mass spectrometry (FIMS). Two SPME fibers (65 μm PDMS/DVB and 85 μm PA fibers) were tested, and FIMS was performed via selective ion monitoring (SIM). The extractions were evaluated at 10% ionic strength and pH 1. Best extraction times were determined for both fibers. Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) for both fibers were in the low μg L⁻¹ range. Coefficients of correlation for the analytical curves showed linear responses and mineral water and river water samples spiked with 50 μg L⁻¹ presented high recoveries. FIMS, as compared to current EPA methods, is demonstrated to allow faster and simpler (elimination of pre-separation or derivatization steps) analysis of chlorophenols in water with the required sensitivity.     

Development of novel molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction fibers and their application for the determination of antibiotic drugs in biological samples by SPME-LC/MS(n)

Novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated fibers for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers were prepared by using linezolid as the template molecule. The characteristics and application of these fibers were investigated. The polypyrrole, polythiophene, and poly(3-methylthiophene) coatings were prepared in the electrochemical polymerization way. The molecularly imprinted SPME coatings display a high selectivity toward linezolid. Molecularly imprinted coatings showed a stable and reproducible response without any influence of interferents commonly existing in biological samples. High-performance liquid chromatography with spectroscopic UV and mass spectrometry (MS) detectors were used for the determination of selected antibiotic drugs (linezolid, daptomycin, amoxicillin). The isolation and preconcentration of selected antibiotic drugs from new types of biological samples (acellular and protein-free simulated body fluid) and human plasma samples were performed. The SPME MIP-coated fibers are suitable for the selective extraction of antibiotic drugs in biological samples.     

Optimization of headspace sampling using solid-phase microextraction for volatile components in tobacco

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was evaluated as a tool for headspace sampling of tobacco samples. Several experimental parameters (e.g. sampling temperature, pH, moisture, and the type of SPME fibers) were optimized to improve sampling efficiency in two aspects; maximum adsorption and selective adsorption of volatile components onto SPME fibers. The effect of these parameters was often dominated by the physical and chemical nature (e.g. volatility, polarity) of target compounds, thus, SPME sampling conditions can be adjusted to favor a selected group of compounds, such as organic acids in tobacco.