Determination of iodine and bromine compounds in foodstuffs by CE-inductively coupled plasma MS

A CE-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (CE-ICP-MS) method for iodine and bromine speciation analysis is described. Samples containing ionic iodine (I(-) and IO(3)(-)) and bromine (Br(-) and BrO(3)(-)) species are subjected to electrophoretic separation before injection into the microconcentric nebulizer (CEI-100). The separation has been achieved in a 50 cm length x 75 microm id fused-silica capillary. The electrophoretic buffer used is 10 mmol/L Tris (pH 8.0), while the applied voltage is set at -8 kV. Detection limits are 1 and 20-50 ng/mL for various I and Br compounds, respectively, based on peak height. The RSD of the peak areas for seven injections of 0.1 microg/mL I(-), IO(3)(-) and 1 microg/mL Br(-), BrO(3)(-) mixture is in the range of 3-5%. This method has been applied to determine various iodine and bromine species in NIST SRM 1573a Tomato Leaves reference material and a salt and seaweed samples obtained locally. A microwave-assisted extraction method is used for the extraction of these compounds. Over 87% of the total iodine and 83% of the total bromine are extracted using a 10% m/v tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution in a focused microwave field within a period of 10 min. The spike recoveries are in the range of 94-105% for all the determinations. The major species of iodine and bromine in tomato leaves, salt, and seaweed are Br(-), IO(3)(-), I(-), and Br(-), respectively.     

Determination of iodine and bromine compounds by ion chromatography/dynamic reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) was used as an ion chromatographic detector for the speciation of iodine and bromine. Gradient elution using NH4NO3 at pH 10 allowed the chromatographic separation of ionic iodine (I- and IO3-) and bromine (Br- and BrO3-) species in less than 8 min. Effluents from the ion-exchange column were delivered to the nebulization system of ICP-MS for the determination of I and Br. The potentially interfering 38Ar40ArH+ and 40Ar40ArH+ at the bromine masses m/z 79 and 81 were significantly reduced in intensity (by approximately two orders of magnitude) by using 0.6 mL min(-1) O2 as a reactive cell gas in the dynamic reaction cell (DRC). Moreover, the signal-to-background ratio at iodine mass m/z 127 increased significantly when O2 was used as the reaction gas. The detection limits were in the range of 0.001-0.002 and 0.03-0.04 ng mL(-1) for various I and Br compounds, respectively, based on the peak height. The relative standard deviation of the peak areas for five injections of a 2 ng mL(-1) I-, IO3- and 20 ng mL(-1) Br-, BrO3- mixture was in the range of 3-4%. The concentrations of I and Br compounds have been determined in selected water and urine samples. The spike recoveries were in the range of 94-102% for all of the determinations. This method has also been applied to determine various I and Br compounds in an NIST RM 8435 whole-milk powder reference material and a seaweed sample obtained locally. A microwave-assisted extraction method was used to extract these compounds, which were quantitatively leached with a 10% mass/volume (m/v) tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution in a focused microwave field within a period of 6 min. The major components of I and Br in milk powder and seaweed were I- and Br-.     

Simultaneous determination of l‐tetrahydropalmatine and its active metabolites in rat plasma by a sensitive ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method and its application in a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and reliable ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of l ‐tetrahydropalmatine (l ‐THP) and its active metabolites l ‐isocorypalmine (l ‐ICP) and L ‐corydalmine (l ‐CD) in rat plasma. The analytes were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction and separated on a Bonshell ASB C₁₈ column (2.1 × 100 mm; 2.7 μm; Agela) using acetonitrile–formic acid aqueous as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min in gradient mode. The method was validated over the concentration range of 4.00–2500 ng/mL for l ‐THP, 0.400–250 ng/mL for l ‐ICP and 1.00–625 ng/mL for l ‐CD. Intra‐ and inter‐day accuracy and precision were within the acceptable limits of <15% at all concentrations. Correlation coefficients (r ) for the calibration curves were >0.99 for all analytes. The quantitative method was successfully applied for simultaneous determination of l ‐THP and its active metabolites in a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration with l ‐THP at a dose of 15 mg/kg to rats.     

Simultaneous microdetermination of iodine and chlorine or iodine and bromine in organic compounds

Summary A micromethod for simultaneous determination of iodine and chlorine or iodine and bromine in organic compounds is described. After combustion in an oxygen-filled separatory funnel containing acidic sodium nitrite, iodine is produced, separated by carbon tetrachloride and oxidised with bromine water to iodate. After removal of carbon tetrachloride and excess bromine, the iodate is determined iodometrically. The aqueous combustion product is determined mercurimetrically for either chlorine or bromine. The average recoveries are 98.7%, 100.7% and 100.6% with iodine, chlorine and bromine in mixtures of their organically bounded compounds respectively. Microdetermination of iodine in presence of other halogens using sodium nitrite as absorbing agent andLeipert's method is described.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Mikromethode zur gleichzeitigen Bestimmung von J und Cl oder J und Br in organischen Verbindungen wurde beschrieben. Nach der Verbrennung in einem sauerstoffgefüllten Scheidetrichter in Anwesenheit angesäuerter Natriumnitritlösung wird Jod freigesetzt, mit Tetrachlormethan extrahiert und mit Bromwasser zu Jodat oxydiert. Nach Entfernung des Tetrachlorkohlenstoffs und des Bromüberschusses wird das Jodat jodometrisch titriert. In der wäßrigen Lösung wird mercurimetrisch Chlor bzw. Brom bestimmt. Die durchschnittliche Ausbeute beträgt 98,7, 100,7% und 100,6% für Jod, Chlor bzw. Brom in Gemischen ihrer organischen Verbindungen. Die Mikrobestimmung des Jods in Gegenwart anderer Halogene nach Absorption in Nitritlösung nach der Methode vonLeipert wurde beschrieben.

     

Direct determination of bromine in plastics by electrothermal vaporization/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using a tungsten boat furnace vaporizer and an exchangeable sample cuvette system

A tungsten boat furnace vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (TBF/ICP‐MS) method has been applied to the direct determination of bromine in plastic samples. In the pretreatment, the plastic sample is spread over a small sample cuvette made of tungsten by treating it with a strongly basic organic solution, e.g., octanol or diisobutyl ketone in the presence of potassium hydroxide. The cuvette is placed on a tungsten boat furnace, with which the electrothermal vaporizer is equipped. At the vaporization step, a widely spread thin layer of the sample facilitates its efficient evaporation and introduction into an ICP mass spectrometer. The most remarkable feature is that all the bromine species in plastic samples are decomposed to form a thermally stable inorganic salt during the pretreatment procedure. Therefore, the bromine content in plastic samples can be measured by a calibration curve method constructed with an aqueous standard solution of potassium bromate(V). The detection limit (3σ) was estimated to be 0.77 pg of bromine, which corresponds to a concentration of 0.31 ng g^?1 of bromine in plastic samples when a sample amount taken of 2.5 mg is studied. The relative standard deviation was calculated to be 2.2%. Analytical results of some plastic samples, which contained both inorganic bromide salts and also organic bromine species, are given. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and validation of a NANOGold™ immunoassay for the detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human serum using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

This work aimed to develop and validate a NANOGold? based assay, quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), for the detection of human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) in serum. The initial assay range based on calibration standards was 62.5–2000 pg/mL with a detection limit of approximately 30 pg/mL. After validation using spiked validation controls, a quantification range between 175 and 1928 pg/mL was obtained. The inter‐assay precision was between 2.3 and 18.9% with accuracy between ?8.8 and ?3.1%. Additional performance parameters, including dilutional linearity, matrix specificity and time‐factored drift, were within ±20%, as defined by the validation acceptance criteria for the validation of macromolecule immunoassays used within our clinical environment. Serum samples from healthy donors were analysed to determine the endogenous levels of VEGF present; these ranged from 164 to 580 pg/mL with a mean of 273 pg/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐assay precision obtained from the healthy donor samples were 1.3–10.7% and 4.2–17.5%, respectively. This demonstration of a validated immunoassay opens further possibilities, utilising the simultaneous detection capabilities of ICP‐MS for the detection of multiple analytes in a single validated immunoassay, for routine use within a clinical environment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Brominated and iodinated thiofluoresceins

Conditions were found for the synthesis of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetrabromo- and -iodo-substituted thiofluoresceins. Iodination and bromination of thiofluorescein with molecular iodine and bromine in 1 N aqueous sodium hydroxide gave mixtures of the corresponding 2,4,5,7-tetra- and 2,4,5-trihalo derivatives in 71/14 (Y = I) and 73/13% yield (Y = Br), respectively. In the reactions of thiofluorescein with bromine in acetic acid and with iodine in methanol at a substrate-to-halogen ratio of 1 : 2, 4,5-dibromo- and 4,5-diiodothiofluoresceins were isolated in 56 and 67% yield. Analogous reactions with equimolar amounts of the reactants produced 59% of 4-bromothiofluorescein and 51% of 4-iodothiofluorescein.     

Determination of iodine and bromine in plasma and urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The simultaneous determination of iodine and bromine in plasma and urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, using a Nermag prototype instrument, is described. The sample preparation involves only a 10-fold dilution with a diluent containing europium as an internal standard followed by direct nebulisation in the plasma. The iodine, bromine and europium ions are measured at m/z = 127, 79, and 153, respectively. The sensitivity of the method, with detection limits of 1.6 and 52 micrograms l-1 for iodine and bromine, respectively, is satisfactory for clinical applications. The calibration graphs were linear over the ranges 0-400 micrograms l-1 and 0-40 mg l-1 for iodine and bromine, respectively, which are wide enough for most assays. The recoveries were close to 100% with coefficients of variation of less than 3%. The within-day and between-day reproducibility was about 5%. The concentrations of iodine and bromine in the plasma of 26 healthy individuals were 58 +/- 12 micrograms l-1 and 4.1 +/- 0.9 mg l-1, respectively. The amounts of iodine and bromine eliminated in urine were 94 +/- 97 micrograms per 24 h (range 27-403 micrograms per 24 h) and 3.6 +/- 1.7 mg per 24 h, respectively. These results are in agreement with reported values.     

Chemical amplification methods for the sequential determination of trace amounts of ruthenium by titrimetric and spectrophotometric procedures

Two simple, inexpensive and rapid iodometric and spectrophotometric procedures were developed for trace amount determination of ruthenium. The proposed methods were based on the oxidation of ruthenium(II or III) with sodium periodate at pH 2.4-3.6, masking the excess periodate with sodium molybdate. The released iodate was then allowed to react with KI at pH 3, with subsequent determination of the released iodine spectrophotometry as triiodide at 350 nm or iodometry with 0.005 M sodium thiosulphate. This procedure offers an 18- and 15-fold amplification per Ru(II) or Ru(III) ion, respectively. Alternatively, the produced iodine was extracted with CHCl(3), shaken with an aqueous solution of sodium sulphite and the produced iodide ion was then allowed to react with bromine (or sodium periodate). The released iodate was subsequently determined by iodometry or spectrophotometry after addition of KI. The bromine and sodium periodate oxidation procedures offered 90- and 360-fold amplification per ruthenium(III) ion, and 108- and 432-fold amplification per ruthenium(II) ion. Ruthenium(IV) content was determined by these procedures after prior reduction to Ru(III) with sulphurous acid. The binary mixtures Ru(II)-Ru(III); Ru(III)-Ru(IV) and Ru(II)-Ru(IV) in aqueous solution at concentration 0.05 mug ml(-1) were successfully analyzed by the developed procedures. The utility of the proposed methods for the analysis of ruthenium in its complexes was demonstrated. Natural seawater and seawater spiked with ruthenium were analyzed satisfactorily.     

Simultaneous determination of bisphenol A and its halogenated derivatives in river water by combination of isotope imprinting and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A restricted access media-molecularly imprinted polymer (RAM-MIP) for [2H16]bisphenol A (BPA-d16) was prepared by a multi-step swelling and polymerization method using 4-vinylpyridine as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, followed by hydrophilic surface modification using glycerol dimethacrylate and glycerol monomethacrylate as hydrophilic monomers. The obtained RAM-MIP showed excellent molecular recognition abilities for BPA and BPA-d6 as well as BPA-d16 used as the template molecule, and good ones for tetrachlorobisphenol A (Cl4-BPA) and tetrabromobisphenol A (Br4-BPA). Next, the RAM-MIP was utilized for selective on-line pretreatment and enrichment of BPA, Cl4-BPA and Br4-BPA in a river water sample, followed by their separation and determination by LC-MS. The calibration graphs of BPA, Cl4-BPA and Br4-BPA, constructed using BPA-d6 as an internal standard, showed good linearity in the range of 12.5-200 pg/mL (r > 0.999) with a 2-mL injection of a river water sample. The inter-day precision data for the assay of BPA, Cl4-BPA and Br4-BPA at 25 pg/mL were 1.08, 3.67 and 1.58%, respectively. Furthermore, this method was successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of BPA and its halogenated derivatives in river water.     

Halogen speciation in the rat thyroid: Simultaneous determination of bromine and iodine by short-term INAA

The study describes a mode of non-destructive simultaneous determination of bromine and iodine concentrations, by reactor instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in the regime of short-term activation. Under the conditions of 1-minute activation in the neutron flux of 8.0·10¹³ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹, it was possible to determine reliably as little as 5·10⁻⁸ g bromine and about 10⁻⁷ g iodine in matrices of a given type and of the mass of about 5 mg dry weight. We applied this method for the determination of Br and I concentrations in the whole rat thyroid gland as well as for the halogen speciation in fractions separated from this organ.     

Marine gradients of halogens in soil studied by epithermal neutron activation analysis

Epithermal neutron activation analysis is shown to be a powerful technique for the simultaneous determination of chlorine, bromine and iodine in organic-rich soils. Examples are shown from a transect study in northern Norway where samples of surface soil were collected at distances of 0–300 km from the coastline. All three elements decreased exponentially as a function of distance from the ocean, strongly indicating that atmospheric supply from the marine environment is the predominant source of these elements in the soil. The Cl/Br and Br/I ratios also showed a regular change with distance from the ocean, and hypotheses for this behavior are offered.     

Simultaneous determination of simvastatin and simvastatin acid in human plasma by LC-MS/MS without polarity switch: application to a bioequivalence study

A simple, specific and sensitive LC-MS/MS assay for simultaneous determination of simvastatin (SV) and its active beta-hydroxy acid metabolite, simvastatin acid (SVA) in human plasma was developed using a statin analog as internal standard (IS). The method was validated over a dynamic linear range of 0.20-100.00 ng/mL for SV and 0.10-50.00 ng/mL for SVA with correlation coefficient r > or = 0.9987 and 0.9989, respectively. The analytes and IS were extracted from 500 microL aliquots of human plasma via liquid-liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether and separated through an Aquasil C18 column (100 mm x 2.1 mm, 5 microm). Detection of analytes and IS was done by MS/MS with a turbo ion spray interface operating in positive ion and selective reaction monitoring acquisition mode. The total chromatographic run time was 3.0 min. Flash freezing of the aqueous phase was an added advantage during liquid-liquid extraction, which considerably reduced time and labour. The method was extensively validated for its accuracy, precision, recovery, stability studies and matrix effect. The method was successfully used for bioequivalence study of 40 mg SV tablet formulation in 12 human subjects under fasting condition.     

A simple and fast method for the simultaneous determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in small volumes of human serum

A fast extraction and clean-up method for the simultaneous determination of PCBs and PBDEs has been developed. The procedure consisted of a solid-phase extraction (SPE) of the analytes on an Oasis HLB cartridge and the subsequent on-line fat elimination by directly dropping the eluate from the SPE cartridge onto a second cartridge containing layers of activated neutral silica gel and sulphuric acid modified silica gel. Detection limits using a gas chromatography coupled with an ion trap detector in the tandem mass spectrometry mode were from 0.03 to 0.3 pg/microL for PCBs and from 0.07 to 1.3 pg/microL for PBDEs. Repeatability (lower than 11%) and reproducibility (lower than 17%), expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD, n=4), were satisfactory. The feasibility of the method developed for the determination of the target compounds was evaluated by participation in several rounds of interlaboratory exercises involving human serum with a wide range of PBDE and PCB concentrations. The method has been applied to the evaluation of PBDEs and PCBs in human serum samples of up to 1 mL.     

Simultaneous separation and determination of 16 testosterone and nandrolone esters in equine plasma using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for doping control

The potential for using testosterone and nandrolone esters in racehorses to boost the biological concentrations of these steroids and enhance athletic performance is very compelling and should be seriously considered in formulating regulatory policies for doping control. In order to regulate the use of these esters in racehorses, a sensitive and validated method is needed. In this paper, we report such a method for simultaneous separation, screening, quantification and confirmation of 16 testosterone and nandrolone esters in equine plasma by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Analytes were extracted from equine plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using a mixture of methyl tert-butyl ether and ethyl acetate (50:50, v/v) and separated on a sub-2 micron C(18) column. Detection of analytes was achieved on a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer by positive electrospray ionization mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). Mobile phase comprised 2 mM ammonium formate and methanol. Deuterium-labeled testosterone enanthate and testosterone undecanoate were used as dual-internal standards for quantification. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 25-100 pg/mL and 100-200 pg/mL, respectively. The linear dynamic range of quantification was 100-10,000 pg/mL. For confirmation of the presence of these analytes in equine plasma, matching of the retention time with mass spectrometric ion ratios from MS/MS product ions was used. The limit of confirmation (LOC) was 100-500 pg/mL. The method is sensitive, robust, selective and reliably reproducible.     

Speciation analysis of iodine and bromine at picogram-per-gram levels in polar ice

Iodine and bromine species participate in key atmospheric reactions including the formation of cloud condensation nuclei and ozone depletion. We present a novel method coupling a high-performance liquid chromatography with ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which allows the determination of iodine (I) and bromine (Br) species (IO ₃ ^? , I^?, Br^?, BrO ₃ ^? ) at the picogram-per-gram levels presents in Antarctic ice. Chromatographic separation was achieved using an IONPAC® AS16 Analytical Column with NaOH as eluent. Detection limits for I and Br species were 5 to 9 pg g^?1 with an uncertainty of less than 2.5% for all considered species. Inorganic iodine and bromine species have been determined in Antarctic ice core samples, with concentrations close to the detection limits for iodine species, and approximately 150 pg g^?1 for Br^?. Although iodate (IO ₃ ^? ) is the most abundant iodine species in the atmosphere, only the much rarer iodide (I^?) species was present in Antarctic Holocene ice. Bromine was found to be present in Antarctic ice as Br^?.     

Determination of antimigraine compounds rizatriptan, zolmitriptan, naratriptan and sumatriptan in human serum by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Development of a rapid, sensitive and selective method for the determination of antimigraine drugs from human serum is essential for understanding the pharmacokinetics of these drugs when administered concurrently. Solid phase extraction (SPE) using Oasis HLB was used to extract the drugs (sumatriptan, naratriptan, zolmitriptan and rizatriptan) and the internal standard bufotenine from serum. A method based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed and validated to simultaneously quantitate these antimigraine drugs from human serum. The precursor and major product ions of the analytes were monitored on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The base peak in all the analytes is formed by alpha cleavage associated with protonation of the secondary amine. Mechanisms for the formation of the collision-induced dissociation products of these antimigraine compounds are proposed. Linear calibration curves were generated from 1-100 ng/mL with all coefficients of determination greater than 0.99. The inter- and intraday precision (%RSD) were less than 9.3% and accuracy (%error) was less than 9.8% for all components. The limits of detection (LOD) for the method were 250 pg/mL for sumatriptan and 100 pg/mL for the remaining analytes based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.     

Non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis for separation and simultaneous determination of fraxin, esculin and esculetin in Cortex fraxini and its medicinal preparations

A non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the separation and simultaneous determination of fraxin, esculin and esculetin in Cortex fraxini and its preparation for the first time. Optimum separation of the analytes was obtained on a 47 cm x 75 microm i.d. fused-silica capillary using a non-aqueous buffer system of 60 mM sodium cholate, 20 mM ammonium acetate, 20% acetonitrile and 3% acetic acid at 20 kV and 292 K, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the migration times and the peak heights of the three analytes were in the range of 0.23-0.28 and 2.12-2.60%, respectively. Detection limits of fraxin, esculin and esculetin were 0.1557, 0.4073 and 0.5382 microg/mL, respectively. In the tested concentration range, good linear relationships (correlation coefficients 0.9995 for fraxin, 0.9999 for esculin and 0.9992 for esculetin) between peak heights and concentrations of the analytes were observed. This method has been successfully applied to simultaneous determination of the three bioactive components with the recoveries from 90.2 to 109.2% in the five samples.     

Determination of nonmetals using ICP-AES-techniques

The determination of iodine, bromine, sulphur and phosphorus using different modes of sampling in ICP-AES is described. Detection limits in the range of some 10 gL^–1 have been obtained using directly aqueous solutions with pneumatic nebulization. The influence of several anions and metals has been investigated. The addition of methanol and ethanol have improved sensitivities but decreased signal-to-background ratios and detection limits due to extended blank values and increased standard deviations. Using ultrasonic nebulization the sensitivities and the detection limits could be enhanced for these elements in aqueous solutions, but a significant decrease in sensitivity has been observed using additives as methanol or ethanol. By coupling of pneumatic nebulization and gas generation of iodine by addition of oxidizing agents, the detection limits of iodine could be improved to 6 ngL^–1 at the 178.28 nm line. Electrothermal vaporization has sucessfully been applied for microsampling of nonmetals and ICP-AES determination. Using aqueous solutions without any modifier the following absolute detection limits at the S (180.73 nm), P (178.27 nm), I (178.28 nm) and Br (163.34 nm) lines have been obtained: 0.25 ng of S, 0.44 ng of P, 0.36 ng of I and 43 ng of Br.Dedicated to Professor Dr. K. Doerffel on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Compound‐specific bromine isotope analysis of brominated diphenyl ethers using gas chromatography multiple collector/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The bromine isotope composition is potentially diagnostic in both degradation monitoring and source apportionment of organobromines in the environment. A method for compound‐specific bromine isotope analysis (δ⁸¹Br) based on gas chromatography multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC/ICPMS) was developed for common brominated diaromatic compounds. Brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) in Bromkal 70‐5DE, a technical flame‐retardant mixture containing mainly BDEs #47, #99 and #100, were used as test substances, with standard bracketing for the samples achieved through co‐injected monobromobenzene (MBB) with a known δ⁸¹Br of ?0.39‰ vs. Standard Mean Ocean Bromine (SMOBr). Three different heated transfer lines were constructed and tested to achieve efficient conduction of the BDEs from the gas chromatograph to the ICPMS instrument. The MBB was analyzed with a precision of 0.4‰ (1 s, n = 18). The precision for BDEs was 1.4–1.8‰ (1 s, n = 10–12 depending on the congener). The lower precision for the BDEs than for MBB may reflect the heat required to prevent condensation of the analytes in ICP torch assembly. The use of an internal standard of similar chemical structure to the analytes alleviates this problem, as illustrated by a difference of 0.3 ± 0.7‰ (1 s, n = 6) between the δ⁸¹Br values of co‐injected methoxy BDE‐47 and BDE‐47 extracted from whale blubber. Improvements in precision and accuracy may be achieved by the use of a more efficient heating of the torch assembly in conjunction with a set of internal standards that match the target compounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.