Determination of congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls in reference materials

Aroclor reference materials from the United States Environmental Protection Agency repository are proposed for use as secondary standards for the congener-specific analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental samples. Representative samples of the materials have been analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with photo-ionization and electron capture detectors. The elution pattern of the congeners was determined for a DB-17 capillary column.     

Characterization of certified reference material for quantification of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in fish

Fish certified reference material (CRM), NMIJ CRM 7404-a, for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was developed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, part of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Fish samples (Japanese seabass) used for the preparation of the CRM were collected from Tokyo Bay, and the edible part was freeze-dried, pulverized, sieved, homogenized, and sterilized by γ-irradiation. This sample is in the form of a powder comprising approximately 10 g stored in a brown glass bottle. The certification was carried out using multiple analytical methods such as pressurized liquid extraction, Soxhlet extraction, saponification, and homogenization to ensure the reliability of analytical results; the certified values of target PCBs (PCB 28, PCB 70, PCB 105, PCB 153, and PCB 170) and OCPs (trans-nonachlor, dieldrin, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, and p,p′-DDD) were 1.05–14.0 μg kg⁻¹ and 1.57–18.0 μg kg⁻¹ for PCBs and OCPs, respectively. This is the first fish powder CRM in which PCBs and OCPs were determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry.     

Determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners in air particulate and marine sediment standard reference materials (SRMs)

Due to the limited number of environmental matrix certified reference materials (CRMs) with assigned values for natural levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), an interlaboratory study was undertaken by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Environment Canada to establish reference concentration values for selected PCDD/Fs in two well-characterized NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs): SRM 1649a (Urban Dust) and SRM 1944 (New York/New Jersey Waterway Sediment). Results from 14 laboratories were used to provide reference values for the seventeen 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted PCDD/F congeners, the totals for individual tetra- through hepta-substituted PCDD/F homologues, and the total amount of tetra- through hepta-substituted PCDD/Fs. The mass fractions for the individual 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted congeners range from approximately 0.01 microg/kg to 7 microg/kg dry mass.     

Determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners in air particulate and marine sediment standard reference materials (SRMs)

Due to the limited number of environmental matrix certified reference materials (CRMs) with assigned values for natural levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), an interlaboratory study was undertaken by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Environment Canada to establish reference concentration values for selected PCDD/Fs in two well-characterized NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs): SRM 1649a (Urban Dust) and SRM 1944 (New York/New Jersey Waterway Sediment). Results from 14 laboratories were used to provide reference values for the seventeen 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted PCDD/F congeners, the totals for individual tetra- through hepta-substituted PCDD/F homologues, and the total amount of tetra-through hepta-substituted PCDD/Fs. The mass fractions for the individual 2, 3, 7, 8-substituted congeners range from approximately 0.01 μg/kg to 7 μg/kg dry mass.     

Application of a retention database to the identification of individual polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in Aroclors mixture using selected polychlorinated biphenyls as a reference series

The database of the relative retention times (RRTs) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) reported in literature was used to calculate the retention indices (RIs) of all 209 PCB congeners on temperature programmed capillary column Rtx-5. Calculation of retention indices was based on reference series of seven congeners (PCB IUPAC Nos. 18, 52, 101, 143, 185, 203 and 206) that exhibit linear relative retention time behaviour as a function of chlorine number. The calculated indices were compared to those determined in our laboratory as well as to those obtained by other authors. The proposed indices system was applied for identification individual congeners in mixture of Aroclors 1242:1254:1260, using only reference series of PCBs.     

Comparison of methods for the gas-chromatographic determination of PCB congeners and chlorinated pesticides in marine reference materials

Summary Three gas-chromatographic (GC) columns with different selectivity (DB-5, DB-1701, and C-18) and two different GC detectors (electron-capture and mass-spectrometric) were used to analyze three Standard Reference Materials (SRMs), which are available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and two Certified Reference Materials (CRMs), which are available from the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and chlorinated pesticides. The materials analyzed were: SRM 1588, Organics in Cod Liver Oil; SRM 1941, Organics in Marine Sediment; SRM 1974, Organics in Mussel Tissue (Mytilus edulis); CRM 349, Chlorobiphenyls in Cod Liver Oil; and CRM 350, Chlorobiphenyls in Mackerel Oil. Results from these different methods are compared, and concentrations for additional PCB congeners and chlorinated pesticides in these reference materials, which have not been measured previously, are reported.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Wilhelm Fresenius on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Preparation and certification of a biological reference material (CARP-1) for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners

A biological certified reference material for nine 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners and nine common polychlorinated biphenyl congeners is available for the first time. This material (CARP-1) is in the form of a slurry comprising approximately 9 g of carp homogenate sealed in a glass ampoule. The only foreign materials in the slurry are an antioxidant added to prevent rancidity and water to facilitate homogenization and ampouling. CARP-1 was found to be homogeneous and stable with respect to its organochlorine concentrations under room as well as elevated temperature storage conditions. The minimum projected shelf life for this material is 5 years.     

Preparation and certification of a fish oil natural matrix reference material for organochlorine pesticides

The mass fractions of six organochlorine pesticides in a fish oil certified reference material (CRM) have been determined using multiple methods of analysis. Fish oil was extracted from the filet of Tilapia fish collected from the River Nile, and this CRM was recently issued by the National Institute of Standards (NIS). It can be used as natural matrix CRM for organochlorine pesticides determination in fish and for marine environmental measurement purposes. The analytical methods used are described, and the obtained results were combined to calculate the mass fractions of the six detected organochlorine pesticides and their associated uncertainty values. It has been concluded that mass fractions of four pesticides are certified values. These are 1,1-(dichloroethylidene)bis[4-chlorobenzene](4,4′-DDE), 1,1-(2,2,-dichloroethylidene)bis[4-chlorobenzene] (4,4′-DDD), 1-chloro-2-[2,2,2-trichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]benzene (2,4′-DDT) and 1,1-(2,2,2-trichloroethylidene)bis[4-chlorobenzene] (4,4′-DDT). Meanwhile, mass fractions of two pesticides were reference values. These are heptachlor and 1-chloro-2-[2,2-dichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]benzene (2,4′-DDD).     

Preparation and certification of a biological reference material (CARP-1) for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners

A biological certified reference material for nine 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners and nine common polychlorinated biphenyl congeners is available for the first time. This material (CARP-1) is in the form of a slurry comprising approximately 9 g of carp homogenate sealed in a glass ampoule. The only foreign materials in the slurry are an antioxidant added to prevent rancidity and water to facilitate homogenization and ampouling. CARP-1 was found to be homogeneous and stable with respect to its organochlorine concentrations under room as well as elevated temperature storage conditions. The minimum projected shelf life for this material is 5 years.     

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners using a polymeric surfactant as the pseudostationary phase

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) of highly hydrophobic compounds is generally difficult using sodium dodecyl sulfate micellar solutions. The polymeric surfactant, polysodium undecyl sulfate (poly-SUS) has been used to separate moderately to highly hydrophobic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners by MEKC in the absence of cyclodextrins. Parameters such as concentration of acetonitrile (ACN), polymeric surfactant concentration, and the effect of pH were examined. Optimum MEKC conditions to get baseline resolution of nine PCBs was 7.5 mM borate in 40% (v/v) ACN fraction buffered at pH 9.2 using 0.5% (w/v) poly-SUS. The applied voltage was 30 kV and the temperature was maintained at 25 degrees C. Elution order for each PCB congener was found to be dependent on the degree of chlorination and hydrophobic character.     

The routine analysis of some specific isomers of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in human milk

A mixture of 14 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) isomers of various congeners, representing approximately 70% of all human milk PCBs reported in the literature, was made up to identify and approximate their residues in human milk. Individual isomer levels varied from 5 to 103 nanograms per gram of milkfat with the 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl isomer as the major PCB contaminant of human milk. PCB isomer numbers 74, 118, 153, 138 and 180 made up approximately 75% of all PCBs as measured by this mixture. There was close agreement of total PCB isomer content in breast milk between electron capture gas chromatography and gas chromatographic mass spectrometry determinations. A major interference was encountered however for PCB isomer no. 52, whose residue level in the breast milk was approximately 3 X higher by gas liquid chromatography than by mass spectrometry.     

Carbon column HPLC and carborane-phase capillary GLC for the separation of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners

Summary With the HPLC carbon column Shandon Hypercarb, the polychlorinated biphenyl congeners are separated by a gradient mixture of acetonitrile and toluene in such a way that the congeners with two (or more) orthochlorine substituents are eluted first, followed by those with one ortho-chlorine and at last the coplanar congeners. Within each group, subfractionation is observed according to the total number of chlorines. For GLC, the SGE HT 5 capillary column exhibits a much more efficient separation of 65 congeners found in Clophen A 40 than the usual DB-5 column, especially for the higher chlorinated congeners. Therefore, the HPLC fractionation on Shandon Hypercarb combined with the GLC on HT 5 offers new possibilities for the analysis of the toxicologically relevant coplanar and mono-ortho substituted PCB congeners.     

Determination of polychlorinated biphenyl compounds in indoor air samples

A simple procedure for the determination of six non-coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in medium volumes of indoor air is described. Samples are forced at 6 m3/h through a device consisting of a quartz filter connected to the end of a conventional solid-phase extraction cartridge containing 60 mg of functionalized styrene-divinylbenzene. PCBs retained on the sorbent are directly eluted with 2 ml of hexane. Those associated to airborne particulate matter are microwave extracted in 10 min using 15 ml hexane-acetone (1:1). The proposed procedure is favorably compared to the use of polyurethane cylinders for the concentration of PCBs in terms of solvent consumption and rapidity of the desorption step. Furthermore, the functionalized sorbent showed higher breakthrough volumes than Amberlite XAD-2 for PCBs in gas phase. Quantification limits between 2 and 40 pg/m3 were obtained for six PCBs (from di- to heptachlorobiphenyls) using GC-electron-capture detection.     

Determination of silver in SOIL-7 standard reference material by NAA

IAEA standard reference material SOIL-7 has been analyzed by both instrumental NAA and radiochemical NAA using epithermal neutron activation. These analyses confirm the NAA value of Ag in the intercomparison SOIL-7 which disagrees with some AAS values. Further geostandards were included and compared with literature data.     

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.     

Gas chromatography of 209 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on an extremely efficient nonselective capillary column

The gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric (GC–MS) separation of all 209 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners was studied on an extremely efficient 80 m × 0.1 mm i.d. capillary column coated with a 0.1 μm film of poly(5%-phenyl methyl)siloxane stationary phase. The quality of the separation and the number of resolved and coeluting peaks were compared to predictions according to the statistical overlap theory (SOT) and to literature data on PCB separations obtained by one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC × GC) and GC–MS. Mass spectral and chemometric deconvolution procedures were used to resolve overlapping peaks. On the highly efficient column, 195 PCB congeners were resolved in 96 min separation time using spectral and chemometric deconvolution. This number is comparable to the best separations described in GC × GC–MS mode. The novel method was developed for spectral deconvolution of overlapped PCB congeners which was verified determining the most toxic, dioxin-like PCBs both in the model mixture of 209 PCBs as well as in the Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1254 formulations.     

Production of standard reference material

Summary Deviations were reproduced repeatedly between certified and observed low phosphorus values in commercial standard reference steel samples when being analyzed thoroughly by photometry of the yellow phosphorus vanadato molybdenum complex after extraction by methyl isobutyl ketone. The values observed were by 14 ppm (min 2, max 26) lower as certified. The accuracy of these results on a choice of those samples was achieved and proved by primary calibration with pure substances with an interval of uncertainty of only 1.4ppm (95% confidence interval). As demonstrated this fact demands imparatively the documented application of primary calibration substances and suitable calibration methods when standard reference material is produced.

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Zur Herstellung von StandardreferenzmaterialÜberprüfung des Phosphorgehaltes in Standardreferenzstählen im Bereich von 59–125 ppm P durch Primäreichung

Zusammenfassung Aufgrund von wiederholten und reproduzierbaren Abweichungen zwischen den Soll- und Ist-Gehalten niedriger Phosphorwerte in käuflichen Standardreferenzstählen wurde eine Auswahl dieser Proben sorgfältig durch Photometrie des gelben Phosphorvanadatomolybdänkomplexes nach MIBK-Extraktion untersucht. Die Richtigkeit der Ergebnisse, die etwa 14 ppm (min. 2, max. 26) unter den Angaben der Zertifikate liegen, wurde durch Primäreichung mit Reinsubstanzen mit einem Unsicherheitsbereich von nur 1,4 ppm (P=95%) nachgewiesen. Dieser Sachverhalt legt, wie gezeigt wird, die dokumentierte Anwendung von primären Eichsubstanzen und geeigneten Eichmethoden bei der Untersuchung künftiger Standardreferenzproben zwingend nahe.

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The author thanks E. Weichert for efficient assistance with the practical work.     

Novel pressurized solvent extraction vessels for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in avian whole blood

Persistent organic pollutants remain a serious threat to many food-chain systems. New pollutants continue to emerge. The present study has created novel extraction vessels which are compatible with readily available commercial instrumentation to validate the analysis of one class of persistent organic pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in avian blood. The volumes used can be reasonably sampled without sacrificing individuals, or comprising breeding or migratorial success. The procedure consists of the pressurized solvent extraction (PSE) of analytes in a novel PSE extraction vessel. The new extraction cell contains a 38-cm long, coiled, re-packable, in situ clean-up column. Lipid elimination, using Florisil, occurs within the coiled region of the extraction vessel, eliminating the requirement for post extraction clean-up. For development, 0.2 g samples of chicken whole blood have been used. Extract volumes are reduced from (30 to 10) cm³, compared to unmodified systems. The new PSE vessel with its integrated clean-up method showed satisfactory performance for the analysis of ten environmentally relevant PCB congeners in chicken whole blood samples with recoveries in the range of (70-130)%. Detection limits using gas chromatography coupled with large volume injection ion-trap mass spectrometry (GC-LVI-ITMS-MS) were in the range of (0.05-0.5) ng g⁻¹. The relative standard deviations for all congeners investigated were better than 5%. This is the first PSE validation to have been conducted on unaltered whole blood samples.     

Determination of fat-soluble chlorinated compounds in fish

Summary The level of chlorinated non-polar compounds in samples of sprat (Clupea sprattus) has been determined. The total amounts of chlorine, bromine and iodine in the lipid phase were determined by neutron activation analysis prior to and after treatment of the lipid phase with concentrated sulfuric acid. In sprat samples from a contaminated area the following chlorinated hydrocarbons have been identified and quantified by means of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry: pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, heptachlorostyrene and octachlorostyrene. In addition, the following compounds have been detected by gas chromatography using standards: dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, tetrachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls. A gradual reduction of the level of individual components and total level of chemically persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons in the samples is observed with increasing distance from the source of contamination (Frierfjorden). The same tendency is not seen for the PCB. It has been found that highly chlorinated compounds are distinctly enriched in the sprat oil relative to compounds with lower contents of chlorine.

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Bestimmung von fettlöslichen chlorierten Verbindungen in Fisch

Zusammenfassung Chlorierte unpolare Verbindungen wurden in Fischproben (Sprotten, Clupea sprattus) bestimmt. Der Gesamtgehalt an Chlor, Brom und Jod in der Fettphase wurde vor und nach deren Behandlung mit konz. Schwefelsäure mit Hilfe der Neutronenaktivierungsanalyse erfaßt. In Proben aus einem kontaminierten Gebiet wurden folgende Verbindungen durch Gas-Chromatographie/ Massenspektrometrie identifiziert und quantitativ bestimmt: Pentachlorbenzol, Hexachlorbenzol, Heptachlorstyrol und Octachlorstyrol. Zusätzlich wurden die folgenden Verbindungen durch GC mit Hilfe von Standards erfaßt: Dichlorbenzol, Trichlorbenzol, Tetrachlorbenzol, polychlorierte Biphenyle. Eine allmähliche Abnahme des Gehaltes an einzelnen Verbindungen sowie des Gesamtgehaltes an beständigen chlorierten Kohlenwasserstoffen wurde mit zunehmender Entfernung vom Ursprung der Verschmutzung (Frierfjorden) beobachtet. Dies konnte jedoch im Falle von PCBs nicht festgestellt werden. Hochchlorierte Verbindungen werden im Sprottenöl im Gegensatz zu solchen mit niederen Chlorgehalten deutlich angereichert.

Presented at the 6th Annual Symposium on Recent Advances in the Analytical Chemistry of Pollutants, April 21–23, 1976; Vienna, Austria.     

Measurements of coeluting unlabeled and C-labeled polychlorinated biphenyl congeners with partially overlapping fragment profiles using a tandem mass spectrometry

¹³C-labeled compounds are often employed as surrogate or internal standards to monitor the performance of extraction and instrumental analysis procedures for their unlabeled counterparts. However, labeled and unlabeled counterparts most often coelute chromatographically with overlapping mass ion fragments, posing a challenge to the accurate quantification of these compounds. In the present study, an analytical scheme, using coeluting unlabeled and ¹³C-labeled polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners as the model compounds, was developed with a low-resolution tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) to determine the appropriate ranges of PCB congener concentrations that satisfy the no-interference condition. Interferences from unlabeled PCBs to quantitation of labeled counterparts could be minimized when ¹³C-labeled PCB congeners were quantified in the MS/MS mode within a certain concentration range. In addition, good agreements between the measured and theoretically predicted quantitation errors were observed for all labeled PCB congeners except PCB 180. The exception with labeled PCB 180 was mainly attributed to the occurrence of instrumental analytical uncertainty, as analytical error was also observed with absence of unlabeled PCB 180. These results indicate that MS/MS techniques can serve as a useful tool to minimize interferences with quantitation of isotopically labeled compounds from their unlabeled counterparts, which possess partially overlapping ion fragment profiles.