Analysis of the chemical composition of the essential oil of Polygonum minus Huds. using two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS)

The essential oil in leaves of Polygonum minus Huds., a local aromatic plant, were identified by a pipeline of gas chromatography (GC) techniques coupled with mass-spectrometry (MS), flame ionization detector (FID) and two dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC-TOF MS). A total of 48 compounds with a good match and high probability values were identified using this technique. Meanwhile, 42 compounds were successfully identified in this study using GC-MS, a significantly larger number than in previous studies. GC-FID was used in determining the retention indices of chemical components in P. minus essential oil. The result also showed the efficiency and reliability were greatly improved when chemometric methods and retention indices were used in identification and quantification of chemical components in plant essential oil.     

Modern developments in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based environmental analysis

Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) continues to play an important role in the identification and quantification of organic contaminants in environmental samples. GC–MS is one of the most attractive and powerful techniques for routine analysis of some ubiquitous organic pollutants due to its good sensitivity and high selectivity and versatility. This paper presents an overview of recent developments and applications of the GC–MS technique in relation to the analysis in environmental samples of known persistent pollutants and some emerging contaminants. The use of different mass analysers such as linear quadrupole, quadrupole ion-trap, double-focusing sectors and time-of-flight analysers is examined. The advantages and limitations of GC–MS methods for selected applications in the field of environmental analysis are discussed. Recent developments in field-portable GC–MS are also examined.     

Use of Large Retention Index Database for Filtering of GC–MS False Positive Identifications of Compounds

The use of the large retention index database for identification and filtering of false positive hits in GC–MS analysis of the ylang-ylang essential oil is illustrated. Differences between experimental retention indices and database values of retention indices of candidate compounds provide additional constraints on the list of candidates for a target compound. Over 100 components of ylang-ylang essential oil (total grade) were identified. The main components, with concentrations more than 4 %, are β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, benzyl benzoate, linalool, geranyl acetate, α-(E,E)-farnesene and isobornyl acetate.

     

Use of Large Retention Index Database for Filtering of GC–MS False Positive Identifications of Compounds

The use of the large retention index database for identification and filtering of false positive hits in GC–MS analysis of the ylang-ylang essential oil is illustrated. Differences between experimental retention indices and database values of retention indices of candidate compounds provide additional constraints on the list of candidates for a target compound. Over 100 components of ylang-ylang essential oil (total grade) were identified. The main components, with concentrations more than 4?%, are β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, benzyl benzoate, linalool, geranyl acetate, α-(E,E)-farnesene and isobornyl acetate.     

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography in combination with rapid scanning quadrupole mass spectrometry in perfume analysis

Single column gas chromatography (GC) in combination with a flame ionization detector (FID) and/or a mass spectrometer is routinely employed in the determination of perfume profiles. The latter are to be considered medium to highly complex matrices and, as such, can only be partially separated even on long capillaries. Inevitably, several monodimensional peaks are the result of two or more overlapping components, often hindering reliable identification and quantitation. The present investigation is based on the use of a comprehensive GC (GC x GC) method, in vacuum outlet conditions, for the near to complete resolution of a complex perfume sample. A rapid scanning quadrupole mass spectrometry (qMS) system, employed for the assignment of GC x GC peaks, supplied high quality mass spectra. The validity of the three-dimensional (3D) GC x GC-qMS application was measured and compared to that of GC-qMS analysis on the same matrix. Peak identification, in all applications, was achieved through MS spectra library matching and the interactive use of linear retention indices (LRI).     

Temperature-programmed retention indices for gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of plant essential oils

A total of 95 volatile compounds from the essential oil in buds of Syringa oblata Lindl (lilac) were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with heuristic evolving latent projections (HELP) and moving subwindow searching (MSS). The identified compounds are mainly aliphatic, terpenes and aromatic compounds. Their temperature-programmed retention indices (PTRIs) on HP-5MS and DB-35MS at three heating rates of 2, 4 and 6 degrees C/min from 80 to 290 degrees C were obtained, which showed that aliphatic compounds give nearly constant PTRIs and PTRIs of terpenoids do not vary much at different heating rates. But PTRIs of aromatic compounds exhibit relatively large temperature dependence. PTRIs vary much more on DB-35MS than those on HP-5MS according to the compound types. In general, differences of PTRIs between the two columns increase from aliphatic compounds to terpenoids to polycyclic aromatic compounds. The PTRIs in different heating rates were used as cross-references in the identification of components in the essential oil. When they were used in analysis of essential oil from flowers of lilac, good results were obtained. These PTRIs would be a part of our PTRI database being constructed on components from plant essential oils. The results also showed that efficiency and reliability were improved greatly when chemometric method and PTRIs were used as assistants of GC-MS in identification of chemical components in plant essential oils.     

Identification of non-cross-linked compounds in methanolic extracts of cured and aged linseed oil-based paint films using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Methanolic extracts of paint samples of different composition and age were qualitatively investigated by GC–MS using an on-column injector after off-line methylation or trimethylsilyl derivatisation, and on-line thermally assisted (trans)methylation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide using Curie-point pyrolysis–GC–MS. The combination of these three analytical strategies led to the identification of typical oxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids by interpretation of their mass spectrum. Some of the identified compounds have not been reported before. Both the off-line and on-line GC–MS strategy show series of short-chain fatty (di)acids and C₁₆ and (oxidised) C₁₈ fatty acids. The major advantage of the on-line pyrolysis–GC–MS approach is that chemical work-up is minimal and very quick. With this technique both the carboxylic acid functionalities, and hydroxyl groups are methylated. Young paint films are shown to contain relatively more oxidised C₁₈ fatty acids and less diacids compared to older paints, which is indicative for the on-going oxidation processes within the paint. After trimethylsilylation, monoacylglycerols are detected indicative for hydrolytic processes, which reflect the relative distribution of the most prominent silylated fatty acids present. Relatively more C₁₆ and C₁₈ monoacylglycerols are found in young paints, whereas older paints contain higher amounts of monoacylglycerols of diacids.     

Analysis on residues of estrogens,gestagens and androgens in kidney fat and meat with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The use of estrogens, gestagens and androgens (EGAs) in animal fattening is prohibited in the European Community. Based on the general detection capabilities of Belgian laboratories, National Minimum Required Performance Limits (National MRPLs) for a number of EGAs have been imposed by the inspection services. Selective hyphenated techniques, e.g. GC–MS and GC–MS², with high detection capability are needed. β-Trenbolone, which is meant to be a “problem” molecule for GC–MS, can be detected at the 2 μg/kg level using GC–MS². Based on the National MRPLs in different matrices, our laboratory has divided the EGAs into a class system. In this set-up, analysis of EGAs in kidney fat and meat is discussed.     

Comparison of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis of tobacco essential oils

A sample of tobacco essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOFMS), respectively. In the GC/MS analysis, serially coupled columns were used. By comparing the GC/MS results with GC × GC/TOFMS results, many more components in the essential oil could be found within the two-dimensional separation space of GC × GC. The quantitative determination of components in the essential oil was performed by GC × GC with flame ionization detection (FID), using a method of multiple internal standards calibration.     

Multi-residue screening of pesticides in vegetables,fruits and baby food by stir bar sorptive extraction-thermal desorption-capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The performance of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for the enrichment of pesticides from vegetables, fruits and baby food samples is discussed. After extraction with methanol, an aliquot is diluted with water and SBSE is performed for 60 min. By applying a new thermal desorption unit (TDU), fully automated and unattended desorption of 98 stir bars is feasible, making SBSE very cost-effective. The presence of pesticide residues is elucidated with the retention time locked gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy method (RTL-capillary GC–MS). With SBSE–RTL-capillary GC–MS operated in the scan mode, more than 300 pesticides can be monitored in vegetables, fruits and baby food. The multi-residue method (MRM) described provides detectabilities from the mg/kg (ppm) to the sub-μg/kg (ppb) level, thereby complying with the maximum residue levels (MRLs) set by regulatory organizations for pesticides in different matrices. Several examples, i.e. pesticide residues in lettuce, pears, grapes and baby food, illustrate the potential of SBSE–RTL-capillary GC–MS.     

Determination of radix ginseng volatile oils at different ages by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Comprehensive 2-D GC (GC x GC) coupled with TOF MS or flame ionization detector (FID) was employed to characterize and quantify the chemical composition of volatile oil in the radixes of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. (ginseng) at different ages. Thirty-six terpenoids were tentatively identified based on the MS library search and retention index in a ginseng sample at the age of 3 years. An obvious group-type separation was obtained in the GC x GC-TOF MS chromatogram. The data collected by GC x GC-FID were processed using a principal component analysis (PCA) method to classify the samples at different ages. The compounds responsible for the significant differentiation among samples were defined. It was found that the relative abundances of alpha-cadinol, alpha-bisabolol, thujopsene, and n-hexadecanoic acid significantly rise with the increase in age.     

Improvement of GC‐MS Analysis of Shahrbabak Ziziphora tenuior Essential Oil by Using Multivariate Curve Resolution Approaches

Essential oil of aerial parts of Ziziphora tenuior growing in Shahrbabak in central Iran are isolated by hydrodistillation. Due to complexity of essential oils, there are fundamental problems such as co‐elution in their direct gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis. These problems can result in low similarity matches in MS library search, so that true identification and determination of individual components may fail. In the present work, each component was identified and determined using GC‐MS coupled with multivariate curve resolution (MCR) techniques. In this way, more information along with higher accuracy and precision can be extracted from pure experimental GC‐MS data. The number of identified components found increased from 37 in direct similarity search to 80 in GC‐MS/MCR method. To identify each individual component, similarity search and Kovat's retention index comparison were implemented. The results found showed that pulegone (38.3%), 3′,5′‐dihydroxyacetophenone (22.83%), isomenthone (7.06%), 2‐methyl‐5‐(1‐methylethyl)‐phenol (3.41%), limonene (2.59%) and 2‐acetyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐cyclopent‐2‐enone (2.49%) were the most abundant components. The reported compounds accounted for 94.39% of total content of the essential oil. A characteristic feature of the Iranian Ziziphora tenuior is the absence of piperitenone in its constituents compared with the oil of other Ziziphora species from Turkey.     

Identification of aroma active compounds in orange essence oil using gas chromatography-olfactometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Using GC-MS and GC-flame ionization detection (FID)/olfactometry, 95 volatile components were detected in orange essence oil, of which 55 were aroma active. In terms of FID peak area the most abundant compounds were: limonene, 94.5%; myrcene, 1%; valencene, 0.8%; linalool, 0.7%, and octanal, decanal, and ethyl butyrate, 0.3% each. One hundred percent of the aroma activity was generated by slightly more than 4% of the total volatiles. The most intense aromas were produced by octanal, wine lactone, linalool, decanal, beta-ionone, citronellal, and beta-sinensal. Potent aroma components reported for the first time in orange essence oil include: E-2-octenal, 1-octen-3-ol, Z-4-decenal, E,E-2,4-nonadienal, guaiacol, gamma-octalactone, and m-cresol. Over 20 compounds were identified for the first time in orange essence oil using MS, however, most did not exhibit aroma activity.     

The co-pyrolysis of flame retarded high impact polystyrene and polyolefins

The co-pyrolysis of brominated high impact polystyrene (Br-HIPS) with polyolefins using a fixed bed reactor has been investigated, in particular, the effect that different types of brominated aryl compounds and antimony trioxide have on the pyrolysis products. The pyrolysis products were analysed using FT-IR, GC–FID, GC–MS, and GC–ECD. Liquid chromatography was used to separate the oils/waxes so that a more detailed analysis of the aliphatic, aromatic, and polar fractions could be carried out. It was found that interaction occurs between Br-HIPS and polyolefins during co-pyrolysis and that the presence of antimony trioxide influences the pyrolysis mass balance. Analysis of the Br-HIPS + polyolefin co-pyrolysis products showed that the presence of polyolefins led to an increase in the concentration of alkyl and vinyl mono-substituted benzene rings in the pyrolysis oil/wax resulting from Br-HIPS pyrolysis. The presence of Br-HIPS also had an impact on the oil/wax products of polyolefin pyrolysis, particularly on the polyethylene oil/wax composition which converted from being a mixture of 1-alkenes and n-alkanes to mostly n-alkanes. Antimony trioxide had very little impact on the polyolefin wax/oil composition but it did suppress the formation of styrene and alpha-methyl styrene and increase the formation of ethylbenzene and cumene during the pyrolysis of the Br-HIPS.     

熵最小算法解析中药挥发油GC-MS谱中同分异构体的研究

采用以熵最小算法为基本原理的化学计量学方法,结合气相色谱-质谱联用分析法,对玫瑰精油及茉莉花挥发油中的2对同分异构体重叠峰进行重建分析,并分别得到各组分的重建质谱,同时采用NIST数据库相似度检索、质谱碎片信息比对及程序升温指数对分析得到的各组分进行定性分析。通过分析,分别从玫瑰精油和茉莉花挥发油的GC-MS重叠峰中分离得到1对同分异构体。分析结果显示,采用熵最小算法可以成功地对重叠峰中的各组分进行定性分析。该研究为类似同分异构体混合物中各组分的测定提供了参考。     

Evaluation of triclosan and biphenylol in marine sediments and urban wastewaters by pressurized liquid extraction and solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

Analytical methods, based on GC–MS and LC–MS, for the determination of traces of 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether (triclosan) and biphenylol in urban wastewater and marine sediments were developed. These methods involve the use of diverse analytical techniques, such as solid phase extraction (SPE) and pressurized liquid extraction for sample preparation, and GC–negative chemical ionization MS and LC–electrospray ionization (ESI) MS–MS for identification and quantification. The recoveries of triclosan and biphenylol were 84 and 80% in wastewater and 100 and 73% in sediments, respectively. Detection limits obtained were in the range of ppb and ppt. To prove their applicability to real samples and as part of a more extensive monitoring program, the developed methods were applied to the analysis of wastewater samples, coming from an urban wastewater treatment plant (UWWTP), and of marine sediment samples collected at the outflow of two UWWTPs to the sea. Results obtained reveal the presence of triclosan in all the samples at concentrations that ranged from 0.8 to 37.8 μg/l in wastewater and from 0.27 to 130.7 μg/kg in sediments. These preliminary data reinforce the interest for further research on this topic.     

Practical approaches to fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Fast gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has the potential to be a powerful tool in routine analytical laboratories by increasing sample throughput and improving laboratory efficiency. However, this potential has rarely been met in practice because other laboratory operations and sample preparation typically limit sample throughput, not the GC–MS analysis. The intent of this article is to critically review current approaches to fast analysis using GC–MS and to discuss practical considerations in addressing their advantages and disadvantages to meet particular application needs. The practical ways to speed the analytical process in GC and MS individually and in combination are presented, and the trade-offs and compromises in terms of sensitivity and/or selectivity are discussed. Also, the five main current approaches to fast GC–MS are described, which involve the use of: (1) short, microbore capillary GC columns; (2) fast temperature programming; (3) low-pressure GC–MS; (4) supersonic molecular beam for MS at high GC carrier gas flow; and (5) pressure-tunable GC–GC. Aspects of the different fast GC–MS approaches can be combined in some cases, and different mass analyzers may be used depending on the analytical needs. Thus, the capabilities and costs of quadrupole, ion trap, time-of-flight, and magnetic sector instruments are discussed with emphasis placed on speed. Furthermore, applications of fast GC–MS that appear in the literature are compiled and reviewed. At this time, the future usefulness of fast GC–MS depends to some extent upon improvement of existing approaches and commercialization of interesting new techniques, but moreover, a greater emphasis is needed to streamline overall laboratory operations and sample preparation procedures if fast GC–MS is to become implemented in routine applications.     

Analytical characterization of natural waxes employing pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Three natural waxes (bleached beeswax, lanolin, yellow carnauba wax) were investigated by means of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS). Pyrograms were obtained showing very characteristic signal patterns. Mass spectrometric detection enabled the structural identification of the pyrolytically formed fragments. For a more detailed investigation of the thermal degradation behaviour of waxy materials, relevant model compounds were selected. Hexadecylpalmitate, cholesterylstearate, heptadecanoic acid and 1-hexacosanol were examined under identical Py–GC–MS conditions. From the resulting product distribution general statements were able to be derived according to the thermal degradation pathways of typical wax constituents. The findings obtained from the model compounds were then applied to the interpretation of the real wax pyrograms. As a result, conclusions according to their origin from corresponding wax constituents were drawn for the majority of pyrolysis products. Thus, the extended potential of the method for the compositional analysis of natural waxes is demonstrated.     

Dissimilarity analysis and automatic identification of monomethylalkanes from gas chromatography mass spectrometry data 1. Principle and protocols

Monomethylalkanes are common but important components in many naturally occurring and synthetic organic materials. Generally, this kind of compounds is routinely analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and identified by the retention pattern or similarity matching to the reference mass spectral library. However, these identification approaches rely on the limited standard database or costly standard compounds. When unknown monomethylalkane is absent from the reference library, these approaches might be less useful. In this study, based on the fragmentation rules and empirical observation, many interesting mass spectral characteristics of monomethylalkanes were discovered and employed to infer the number of carbon atoms and methylated position. Combined with the retention pattern, a protocol was described for the identification of monomethylalkane analyzed by GC–MS. After tested by simulated data and GC–MS data of the gasoline sample, it was demonstrated that the developing approach could automatically and correctly identify monomethylalkanes in complicated GC–MS data.     

Photodegradation study of the antifouling booster biocide dichlofluanid in aqueous media by gas chromatographic techniques

The aquatic photochemical behavior of the biocide dichlofluanid has been studied under natural sunlight conditions as well as under artificial solar irradiation in different types of natural waters (sea, river and lake water) as well as in distilled water. In order to examine the effect of dissolved organic matter (DOM), the photodegradation of the tested biocide was investigated also in the presence of various concentrations of humic and fulvic acids. It was found that the photodegradation proceeds via first-order reaction in all cases and that the presence of various concentrations of DOM inhibits the photolysis reaction. Kinetic experiments are monitored with GC–ECD with half-lives varied between 8 and 83 h. The major photodecomposition products identified by GC–MS were dichlorofluoromethane, aniline, and DMSA. Based on this byproduct identification a possible degradation pathway is proposed for the photolysis of dichlofluanid in aqueous media.