Analysis of organic compounds in environmental samples by headspace solid phase microextraction

The analysis of samples contaminated by organic compounds is an important aspect of environmental monitoring. Because of the complex nature of these samples, isolating target organic compounds from their matrices is a major challenge. A new isolation technique, solid phase microextraction, or SPME, has recently been developed in our laboratory. This technique combines the extraction and concentration processes into one step; a fused silica fiber coated with a polymer is used to extract analytes and transfer them into a GC injector for thermal desorption and analysis. It is simple, rapid, inexpensive, completely solvent-free, and easily automated. To minimize matrix interferences in environmental samples, SPME can be used to extract analytes from the headspace above the sample. The combination of headspace sampling with SPME separates volatile and semi-volatile analytes from non-volatile compounds, thus greatly reducing the interferences from non-target compounds. This paper reports the use of headspace SPME to isolate volatile organic compounds from various matrices such as water, sand, clay, and sludge. By use of the technique, benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylene isomers (commonly known as BTEX), and volatile chlorinated compounds can be efficiently isolated from various matrices with good precision and low limits of detection. This study has found that the sensitivity of the method can be greatly improved by the addition of salt to water samples, water to soil samples, or by heating. Headspace SPME can also be used to sample semi-volatile compounds, such as PAHs, from complex matrices.     

The determination of volatile organic compounds in soils using solid phase microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) was applied in the development of a protocol for the analysis of a number of target organic compounds in landfill site samples. The selected analytes, including aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbous, and unsaturated compounds, were absorbed directly from a headspace sample above a soil layer onto a fused silica fiber. Following exposure, the fiber was thermally desorbed in the injection port of the gas chromatograph and eluted compounds were detected using a mass selective detector. The stability and sensitivity of the extraction technique were examined at five temperatures (22–60°C) using a 100μm polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Calibrations, using soil samples spiked with selected solvents (0.5–30 μg/g), were linear; trichloroethene (r² = 0.992) and benzene (r² = 0.998). SPME was applied to the examination of a municipal landfill where 8 sites were sampled, at three depths, resulting in the detection of xylene (maximum 2.8 μg/g) and a number of other non-target organic contaminants.     

顶空固相微萃取-气相色谱-质谱联用分析纺织品中挥发性有机物

建立了顶空固相微萃取（HSSPME）-气相色谱（GC）-质谱（MS）联用测定纺织品中甲苯、4-乙烯基环己烯、苯乙烯、萘和1-苯基环己烯5种挥发性有机物（VOCs）的分析方法。选择聚二甲基硅氧烷（PDMS）作为萃取涂层,优化了SPME的萃取条件,包括平衡时间、萃取时间、萃取温度、顶空体积、离子强度、搅拌速度、解吸温度和时间以及GC—MS仪器条件。对于甲苯、4-乙烯基环己烯、苯乙烯、萘和1-苯基环己烯方法线性范围分别为0．087～870、3．32～3320、2．28～2280、0．015～150和0．050～50．0ng／g;检出限分别为0．005、0．042、0．670、0．008和0．011ng／g。实际样品加标回收率在80．1％～122％之间,RSD在0．8％～8．6％之间。方法符合纺织品中痕量VOCs的快速分析要求。     

Solid phase microextraction of volatile organic compounds using carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane fibers

Summary A new 80 μm Carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber for solid phase microextraction (SPME) was tested for the enrichment of volatile organic compounds from water and air. Detection limits between 13 ng L⁻¹ (CH₂Cl₂) and 0.1 ng L⁻¹ (CHCl₂Br and CHClBr₂) for the combination: Carboxen-PDMS fiber and GC-ECD and between 35 ng L⁻¹ and 45 ng L⁻¹ (BTEX compounds) for the combination: Carboxen-PDMS and GC-FID using the headspace procedure were determined. Comparisons with the 100 μm PDMS fiber and further coatings show the advantages of the Carboxen-PDMS fiber with respect to extraction efficiency. Disadvantages of the new fiber compared with the 100 μm PDMS fiber are poorer repeatability and prolongation of equilibrium time. Distribution coefficients of the BTEX compounds between aqueous solution and SPME fiber coating were calculated and compared with the results of other researchers and with octanol-water partition coefficients.     

The use of headspace solid phase microextraction for the characterization of volatile compounds in olive oil matrices

Two different fibre coatings, for solid phase microextraction (SPME) sampling, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and poly(acrylate) (PA), were studied in order to test, for olive oil matrixes, two mathematical models that relate the directly proportional relationship between the amount of analyte absorbed by a SPME fibre and its initial concentration in the sample matrices. Although the PA fibre was able to absorb higher amounts of compounds from the olive oil sample, the equilibrium was reached later then with the PDMS fibre. In both cases, the amount of analyte present affected the time profile or the equilibrium time in two of the concentrations studied, 0.256 μL/kg, 2.56 μL/kg and for 2-ethylfuran, pentan-3-one, pent-1-en-3-one, hexanal, trans,trans-non-2,4-dienal and in the four concentrations studied, 0.256 μL/kg, 2.56 μL/kg, 6.25 μL/kg and 400 μL/kg, for 4-methyl-pent-3-en-2-one, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, methoxybenzene, hexan-1-ol, cis-hex-3-en-1-ol, trans-hex-2-en-1-ol, 2-ethyl-hexan-1-ol and trans,trans-dec-2,4-dienal. Comparing the mathematical models of both fibres, the PA-coated fibre showed direct proportionality between the initial concentration and amount extracted, that allows the possibility of relative quantification in a non-equilibrium state in non-aqueous media. The same was not observed for the PDMS fibre.     

Solid phase microextraction/isothermal GC for rapid analysis of complex organic samples

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) was used as the sample introduction technique for high-speed isothermal GC. An injector dedicated for SPME fiber injection was designed and built. The injector was operated in two modes, continuously heated and flash heated. The latter mode proved to be better for high-speed separations. The injector was then used for sample introduction in separation of BTEX. When sampling directly from water with a fiber having a 56 μm thick poly(dimethylsiloxane) coating, the BTEX components were separated under isothermal conditions in ca. 18 s. A fiber with a thinner coating (15 μm) enabled the separation to be completed in ca. 12 s when sampling from headspace. In both cases the results were highly reproducible, as measured by the estimated values of the relative standard deviation.     

Headspace solid-phase microextraction for the determination of volatile organic sulphur and selenium compounds in beers,wines and spirits using gas chromatography and atomic emission detection

A rapid and solvent-free method for the determination of eight volatile organic sulphur and two selenium compounds in different beverage samples using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with atomic emission detection has been developed. The bonded carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber was the most suitable for preconcentrating the analytes from the headspace of the sample solution. Volumes of 20 mL of undiluted beer were used while, in the case of wines and spirits, sample:water ratios of 5:15 and 2:18, respectively, were used, in order to obtain the maximum sensitivity. Quantitation was carried out by using synthetic matrices of beer and wine, and a spiked sample for spirits, and using ethyl methyl sulphide and isopropyl disulphide as internal standards. Detection limits ranged from 8 ng L⁻¹ to 40 ng mL⁻¹, depending on the compound and the beverage sample analyzed, with a fiber time exposure of 20 min at ambient temperature. The optimized method was successfully applied to different samples, some of the studied compounds being detected at concentration levels in the 0.04–152 ng mL⁻¹ range.     

Analysis of sesquiterpene emissions by plants using solid phase microextraction

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) was characterized for the sampling and analysis of sesquiterpenes (SQTs) emitted by plants. Constant mixing ratio SQT standards were produced using a capillary diffusion system. Polydimethylsiloxane SPME fibers were characterized with respect to relative absorption of SQTs, and the effects of sample linear velocity and sample relative humidity on SQT absorption. SPME was then utilized to measure SQT emissions from gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Total SQT emission rates at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 1200 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 28 °C ranged 0.025–0.050 μgC m⁻² h⁻¹ (α-farnesene) and 0.450–3.325 μgC m⁻² h⁻¹ (α-farnesene, β-farnesene, and α-bergamotene) for gray pine and ponderosa pine, respectively.     

Sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds in bovine breath by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A relatively noninvasive method consisting of a face mask sampling device, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers, and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in bovine breath was developed. Breath of three morbid steers with respiratory tract infections and three healthy steers were sampled seven times in 19 days for 15 min at each sampling. The breath VOCs adsorbed on the divinylbenzene (DVB)-Carboxen-polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) 50/30 microm SPME fibers were transported to a laboratory GC-MS system for separation and identification with an in-house spectral library of standard chemicals. A total of 21 VOCs were detected, many of them for the first time in cattle breath. Statistical analyses using Chi-square test on the frequency of detection of each VOC in each group was performed. The presence of acetaldehyde (P < or = 0.05) and decanal (P < or = 0.10) were associated more with clinically morbid steers while methyl acetate, heptane, octanal, 2,3-butadione, hexanoic acid, and phenol were associated with healthy steers at P < or = 0.10. The results suggest that noninvasive heath screening using breath analyses could become a useful diagnostic tool for animals and humans.     

Analysis of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions by headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with cryotrap gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

Headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with cryotrap gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was applied to the analysis of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions. The highly volatile organic compounds were separated successfully with high sensitivity by the employment of a cryotrap device, with the construction of a cold column head by freezing a segment of metal capillary with liquid nitrogen. A total of 76 volatile organic compounds were identified in 50 pleural effusion samples (20 malignant effusions and 30 benign effusions). Among them, 34 more volatile organic compounds were detected with the retention time less than 8 min, by comparing with the normal headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry method. Furthermore, 24 volatile organic compounds with high occurrence frequency in pleural effusion samples, 18 of which with the retention time less than 8 min, were selected for the comparative analysis. The results of average peak area comparison and box‐plot analysis showed that except for cyclohexanone, 2‐ethyl‐1‐hexanol, and tetramethylbenzene, which have been reported as potential cancer biomarkers, cyclohexanol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n‐heptane, ethylbenzene, and xylene also had differential expression between malignant and benign effusions. Therefore, the proposed approach was valuable for the comprehensive characterization of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions.     

Determination of volatile fatty acid ethyl esters in raw spirits using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography

An analytical method for the determination of fatty acid ethyl esters in raw spirits of different quality or produced from various raw materials has been developed and optimized. A combination of headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) as the extraction technique and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) as the determination technique was utilized. HS-SPME conditions such as: type of the stationary phase of the fiber, ethanol content, sample volume, extraction temperature and time, salt addition and sample agitation were investigated to determine the most suitable conditions for the analysis of volatile fatty acid ethyl esters in raw spirits. The quantification method was an internal standardization using methyl octanoate as the internal standard. The method's detection limits (MDLs) for the individual ethyl esters ranged from 26.8 to 0.0470 μg L⁻¹ 20% EtOH. The feasibility of SPME for the quantitative analysis of fatty acid ethyl esters in raw spirits of different organoleptic quality was demonstrated. High precision and simple sample preparation enable the use of this method for routine investigations in both industrial and research laboratories.     

三嗪基多孔有机材料的合成及在固相微萃取应用中的研究进展

三嗪基多孔有机材料(TPOPs)具有较大的比表面积、可调的孔道结构、较高的热和化学稳定性、丰富的π键体系等诸多优点,目前被广泛应用于气体储存、催化、能源转化和吸附等诸多领域。基于TPOPs的固相微萃取(SPME)技术近年来引起了人们的极大兴趣,成为样品前处理技术领域的研究热点之一。该文简要地综述了近年来TPOPs的合成方法及其在固相微萃取领域的应用与发展,并对该领域研究进行了展望。     

Fabrication of polyaniline‐coated halloysite nanotubes by in situ chemical polymerization as a solid‐phase microextraction coating for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in aqueous solutions

We have synthesized an organic–inorganic polyaniline–halloysite nanotube composite by an in situ polymerization method. This nanocomposite is immobilized on a stainless‐steel wire and can be used as a fiber coating for solid‐phase microextraction. It was found that our new solid‐phase microextraction fiber is an excellent adsorbent for the extraction of some volatile organic compounds in aqueous samples in combination with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The coating can be prepared easily, is mechanically stable, and exhibits relatively high thermal stability. It is capable of extracting phenolic compounds from water samples. Following thermal desorption, the phenols were quantified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The effects of extraction temperature, extraction time, sample ionic strength, stirring rate, pH, desorption temperature and desorption time were studied. Under optimal conditions, the repeatability for one fiber (n = 5), expressed as the relative standard deviation, is between 6.2 and 9.1%. The detection limits range from 0.005 to 4 ng/mL. The method offers the advantage of being simple to use, with a shorter analysis time, lower cost of equipment and higher thermal stability of the fiber in comparison to conventional methods of analysis.     

Evaluation of matrix effects in the analysis of volatile organic compounds in whole blood with solid‐phase microextraction

The complexity and matrix variability of biological samples requires an accurate evaluation of matrix effects. The dilution of the biological sample is the simplest way to reduce or avoid the matrix effect. In the present study, a set of volatile organic compounds with different volatilities was used to assess the effect of the dilution of blood samples on the extraction efficiency by headspace solid‐phase microextraction. It was found that there was a significant matrix effect but that this effect differs significantly depending on the volatility of the compound. A 1:2 (blood/water) dilution was enough to allow quantitative recoveries of those compounds with boiling points <100°C. For compounds with boiling points between 100 and 150°C, the matrix effect was stronger and a 1:5 dilution was required. The dilution of blood samples proved to be inefficient for quantitative recovery of compounds with boiling points >150°C. A 1:5 dilution of the sample allowed detection limits in the range of nanogram per liter to be obtained. This was sufficient to detect the main volatile compounds present in blood and contamination after exposure.     

A new interface for coupling solid phase microextraction with liquid chromatography

A modified Rheodyne 7520 microsample injector was used as a new solid phase microextraction (SPME)–liquid chromatography (LC) interface. The modification was focused on the construction of a new sample rotor, which was built by gluing two sample rotors together. The new sample rotor was further reinforced with 3 pieces of stainless steel tubing. The enlarged central flow passage in the new sample rotor was used as a desorption chamber. SPME fiber desorption occurred in static mode. But all desorption solvent in the desorption chamber was injected into LC system with the interface. The analytical performance of the interface was evaluated by SPME–LC analysis of PAHs in water. At least 90% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were desorbed from a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/C18 bonded fuse silica fiber in 30 s. And injection was completed in 20 s. About 10–20% total carryovers were found on the fiber and in the interface. The carryover in the interface was eliminated by flushing the desorption chamber with acetonitrile at 1 mL min⁻¹ for 2 min. The repeatability of the method was from 2% to 8%. The limit of detection (LOD) was in the mid pg mL⁻¹ range. The linear ranges were from 0.1 to 100 ng mL⁻¹. The new SPME–LC interface was reliable for coupling SPME with LC for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.     

Chemotherapy control by breath profile with application of SPME‐GC/MS method

Chemotherapy used as a treatment against lung cancer has influence on metabolic processes occurring in healthy cells. The changes of biochemical pathways proceeded inside cells might be observed in expired air. In the experiment, breath analysis was carried out before and after anticancer therapy. Expired air samples were collected from 22 patients with a biopsy confirmed lung cancer. Volatile organic compounds present in breath were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. For enrichment of analytes solid‐phase microextraction technique was applied. Eight fibers covered by different sorbents were tested. Carboxen‐polydimethylsiloxane fiber revealed the highest extraction efficiency in relation to analytes in breath. The data showed that cytostatic drugs increase the concentration of acetone and isoprene in the breath collected after chemotherapy. Volatile metabolites of administrated drugs were not identified in expired air.     

Application of headspace solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography to the screening of volatile compounds from some Brazilian aromatic plants

Summary An HS-SPME method was developed and applied for the isolation of volatile organic compounds from plants native or acclimatized to Brazil. Method optimization was performed using typical analytes from the target samples; fibers coated with 100 μm PDMS and 75 μm Carboxen/PDMS were tested. Using PDMS 100 μm fibers and GC-MS for separation and identification, up to 99.9% of the peak area in the chromatograms from plants were identified. The method was also applied to quantify the major volatile components of one of the samples (Aloysia gratissima) with results comparable to those from the conventional steam distillation method.     

Response surface optimisation applied to a headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in water matrices

A new method for the simultaneous determination of 12 volatile organic compounds (trans-1,2-dichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethene, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, ethylbenzene, m-, p-, o-xylene) in water samples by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS–SPME)–gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was described, using a 100?µm PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) coated fibre. The response surface methodology was used to optimise the effect of the extraction time and temperature, as well as the influence of the salt addition in the extraction process. Optimal conditions were extraction time and temperature of 30?min and ?20°C, respectively, and NaCl concentration of 4?mol?L^?1. The detection limits were in the range of 1.1?×?10^?3–2.3?µg?L^?1 for the 12 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Global uncertainties were in the range of 4–68%, when concentrations decrease from 250?µg?L^?1 down to the limits of quantification. The method proved adequate to detect VOCs in six river samples.     

Layered double hydroxide/poly(vinylpyrrolidone) coated solid phase microextraction Arrow for the determination of volatile organic compounds in water

Today, wide variety of adsorbents have been developed for sample pretreatment to concentrate and separate harmful substances. However, only a few solid phase microextraction Arrow adsorbents are commercially available. In this study, we developed a new solid phase microextraction Arrow coating, in which nanosheets layered double hydroxides and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) were utilized as the extraction phase and poly(vinyl chloride) as the adhesive. This new coating entailed higher extraction capacity for several volatile organic compounds (allyl methyl sulfide, methyl propyl sulfide, 3‐pentanone, 2‐butanone, and methyl isobutyl ketone) compared to the commercial Carboxen 1000/polydimethylsiloxane coating. Fabrication parameters for the coating were optimized and extraction and desorption conditions were investigated. The validation of the new solid phase microextraction Arrow coating was accomplished using water sample spiked with volatile organic compounds. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of quantification for the five volatile organic compounds by the new solid phase microextraction Arrow coating and developed gas chromatography with mass spectrometry method were in the range of 0.2‐4.6 ng/mL. The proposed method was briefly applied for enrichment of volatile organic compounds in sludge.     

Challenges in quantitative analyses for volatile organic compounds bound to lipocalins

In this communication, I describe the challenges in quantitative analyses for volatile organic compounds in mouse urine, which are primarily caused by the presence of the major urinary proteins, a lipocalin subfamily, that sequester volatile ligands. The analyses of volatile compounds in mouse urine have been performed since the late 1970s. However, none of them considered the binding interactions of the quantified compounds with the urinary proteins. Some volatile ligands are tightly bound to the proteins and may not be extracted completely by organic solvents. The amounts of volatile ligands measured by external standard calibration represent those of the unbound ligands in the headspace, not the total amounts in urine. Addition of internal standards displaces ligands bound to the proteins, resulting in a completely different volatile profile. Normalization of volatile compounds using relative peak area (or height) ratios may not be used in the conditions where displacement of ligands bound to the proteins occurs. Because of the unique chemical properties of mouse urine, I have not been able to find a good quantification method for the volatile compounds released from mouse urine. I hope that the identification of these issues will stimulate others to come up with novel approaches.