Empirical and molecular formula determination by gas chromatography/microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Following a review of gas chromatographic element-specific detection by microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry for the purposes of empirical-formula determination, current results for an atmospheric-pressure helium plasma are presented. Hydrocarbons and chlorinated organic compounds are used as models and compounds resulting from chlorination of fulvic acid are characterized. Accuracy and precision for carbon, hydrogen and chlorine determinations are reported. The former usually being better than ±5% and the latter in the range 1–3%. Manual and computer methods for empirical-formulae determination are presented and compared.     

Two-dimensional on-line detection of brominated and iodinated volatile organic compounds by ECD and ICP-MS after GC separation

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was coupled to a gas chromatographic (GC) system with electron capture detector (ECD), which enables relatively easy characterization and quantification of brominated and iodinated (halogenated) volatile organic compounds (HVOCs) in aquatic and air samples. The GC-ECD system is connected in series with an ICP-MS by a directly heated transfer line and an outlet port-hole for elimination of the ECD make-up gas during ignition of the plasma. The hyphenated GC-ECD/ICP-MS system provides high selectivity and sensitivity for monitoring individual HVOCs under fast chromatographic conditions. The ECD is most sensitive for the detection of chlorinated and brominated but the ICP-MS for iodinated compounds. The greatest advantage of the use of an ICP-MS is its element-specific detection, which allows clear identification of compounds in most cases. The absolute detection limits for ICP-MS are 0.5 pg for iodinated, 10 pg for brominated, and 50 pg for chlorinated HVOCs with the additional advantage that calibration is almost independent on different compounds of the same halogen. In contrast to that detection limits for ECD vary for the different halogenated compounds and lie in the range of 0.03-11 pg. The two-dimensional GC-ECD/ICP-MS instrumentation is compared with electron impact mass spectrometry (EI-MS) and microwave induced plasma atomic emission detection (MIP-AED). Even if EI-MS has additional power in identifying unknown peaks by its scan mode, the detection limits are much higher compared with GC-ECD/ICP-MS, whereas the selective ion monitoring mode (SIM) reaches similar detection limits. The MIP-AED detection limits are at the same level as EI-MS in the scan mode.     

Evaluation of a radio frequency plasma for oxygen-selective detection in capillary gas chromatography

A radio frequency plasma detector for capillary GC has been modified for oxygen-selective detection. Purification of the plasma gas and purging of both ends of the discharge region with helium were crucial to minimizing oxygen background emission from impurities in the plasma. With a pure helium plasma, eluting hydrocarbons released oxygen from the discharge region resulting in interfering signals on the oxygen channel. These interfering signals were efficiently reduced by using a methane-doped (0. 15%) low power RF plasma (15 W) sustained in a high make-up flow (150 mL/min). With this plasma, a 10³:1 oxygen-to-carbon selectivity and a 100 pg oxygen/s detection limit were obtained. The detector was linear over three orders of magnitude. The detection system has been used to screen for oxygenated compounds in two environmental samples.     

Simultaneous multielement determination in microliter samples by rapid-scanning spectrometry coupled to a microwave-induced plasma

A modified electrothermal atomizer is coupled to a helium microwave-induced plasma (m.i.p.) for atomic emission spectrometry. For preliminary evaluation, this arrangement was coupled to a monochromator to quantify single elements in microliter samples. Detection limits range from 3 to 25 pg for Cd, Fe, Pb, Mn and Au and linear dynamic ranges are 2–4 orders of magnitude. The monochromator, fitted with a rapid scanning galvanometer mirror, is also used as a multielement detector. A spectral window of ca. 40 nm is rapidly scanned (10 Hz) across the exit slit and five elements from one solution are determined in rapid sequence. In the multielement mode, the detection limits are in the range 50–250 pg, as might be expected, owing to the decreased duty cycle. However, there is a significant improvement when compared to an earlier report from this laboratory. By narrowing the spectral coverage and taking data more rapidly this drawback is minimized.     

Development and characterization of chlorine-selective pulsed discharge emission detector for gas chromatography

A novel chlorine-selective pulsed discharge emission detector (Cl-PDED) for gas chromatography has been developed based on a reaction of krypton with chlorine and a unique design of the detector. A krypton ion produced in the krypton-doped helium pulsed discharge reacts with chlorinated compounds within the pulsed discharge to produce an excited species of KrCl* which emits at 221-222 nm. The reaction has the following advantages in respect to the detection of chlorinated compounds: (1) the reaction is an ion-molecule reaction that is 100-1000 times faster than a reaction of neutrals, which greatly enhances the sensitivity; (2) the KrCl* emission wavelength is far separated from interfering C emissions at 193. and 247.3 nm; (3) the KrCl* emission is transparent to air and can be recorded without a helium purge of the monochromator. The detector itself has been designed to have the following features: (1) the detector has a microvolume of the pulsed discharge region, ca. 0.35 microl, which increases the discharge power density to enhance the sensitivity; (2) this microvolume detector allows the use of a low flow-rate of approximately 5 ml/min, which enhances the sensitivity by the lower dilution of the column effluent; (3) the pulsed discharge is sufficiently narrow to replace the monochromator entrance slit, which gives much greater light gathering power; (4) the discharge electrodes are protected with a helium purge to prevent carbon deposition on the electrodes. This new Cl-PDED is the most sensitive chlorine-selective detector with a minimum detectability of approximately 50 fg Cl/s. The selectivity to carbon is 1000. There are no significant carbon emission lines in the KrCl* emission wavelength region, but the carbon continuum interference (stray light) limits the selectivity. The selectivity could be increased if a double monochromator were used to diminish the stray light. The detector linear range is over three orders of magnitude from 40 fg Cl to approximately 130 pg Cl, and the dynamic range is approximately 4 orders of magnitude. The relative standard deviation of the elemental response to chlorinated compounds is about 5%.     

The determination of chloride by microwave helium plasma emission spectrometry using a hydrogen chloride generation technique

Hydrogen chloride is generated from aqueous solution from a concentrated sulphuric acid—potassium sulphate mixture and is passed into a microwave-induced atmospheric pressure helium plasma. Measurement at the Cl-(II) 479.5-nm line gives a linear calibration graph over the range 6 ng (detection limit) to 50 μg of chloride. Other halides, and arsenic, do not interfere, but Te and Hg depress the emission.     

Gas chromatographic determination of organomercury following aqueous derivatization with sodium tetraethylborate and sodium tetraphenylborate. Comparative study of gas chromatography coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry

Several hyphenated analytical techniques, including gas chromatography (GC) coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry (AES), and mass spectrometry (MS), have been evaluated for methylmercury and ethylmercury analysis following aqueous derivatization with both sodium tetraethylborate and sodium tetraphenylborate. Both GC-AFS and GC-AES were shown to be excellent techniques with detection limits in the range of sub-picogram levels (0.02-0.04 pg as Hg). Both techniques have wide linear ranges, although setting of the AFS sensitivity has to be selected manually based on the concentration of mercury in the sample. Phenylation seems to be more favorable in this study because of its capability of distinguishing between ethylmercury and inorganic mercury, and low cost compared to ethylation. Although sensitivity of GC-MS is poor with detection limits ranging from 30 to 50 pg as Hg, it is an essential technique for confirmation of the derivatization products.     

Element Specific GC-Detection by Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy—A Powerful Tool in Environmental Analysis

Abstract

A new Plasma Emission Detector (FED) to be used in gas chromatography has been developed, consisting of a capacitively coupled helium plasma operating at 200 W and 27 MHz and a poly-chromator system. Elements such as H, C, N, O, S, F, Cl, Br and I can be simultaneously detected, giving way to new possibilities of measuring organic environmental pollutants.

1. Non-separated compounds can be easily measured with the FED, as long as the compounds contain different hetero-elements.

2. The calibration for a complex system as for example the chlorinated HC's demands only for a single standard.

3. The simultaneous detection of all elements of a separated compound allows the calculation of the total molecular formula.

The detection limits for different elements lie between 50 and 200 pg/sec at a signal to noise ratio of 3 to 1.     

Physical phenomena and analytical applications of helium microwave discharges

The intensity of atomic emission from a microwave-induced helium gas discharge as a function of pressure in the range 13–130 mbar is described. Two of the spectra studied were given by excited helium atoms, and one by (a species of) an excited triplet helium molecule (He₂^*). The pressure dependence of the concentration of helium atoms in the triplet metastable state was studied by absorption spectroscopy. After introduction of known quantities of mercury, chlorine, and iodine into the helium plasma, the emission was measured for some intense lines in the visible and near-u.v. Comparison of the data suggests that the atoms of these elements can be excited by helium atoms and molecules to levels at which they emit light in the visible and near-u.v. The use of a helium discharge tube for the detection of single elements in gas chromatographic fractions is described. Selectivity is greatly improved by wavelength modulation. The method allows a highly sensitive and selective determination of nanogram amounts of organic compounds which contain the elements sought, including stable isotopes such as deuterium, carbon-13 and nitrogen-15.     

Capillary gas chromatography coupled with microplasma mass spectrometry for organotin speciation.

Gas chromatography was coupled with microplasma mass spectrometry for selective detection of organotin compounds. The microplasma ion source was a capacitively coupled radiofrequency helium plasma, which was located inside the high vacuum area of the mass spectrometer. Only 1-3 ml min-1 of helium carrier gas from the gas chromatograph was necessary for sustaining the plasma while 0.15-1.5 ml min-1 of hydrogen was added as reagent gas. Hydrogen was applied for prevention of carbon deposition and served to minimize the interactions between tin and the fused-silica inner surface of the microplasma ion source. Both carbon and tin were detected as positively charged atomic ions, which were expelled from the microplasma ion source and directly focused by electrostatic lenses towards the quadrupole mass analyzer. Tin exhibited high selectivity to carbon (> 10(4)) and a detection limit of 3.5 pg s-1.     

Selective detection of sulfur-containing compounds by gas chromatography/chemical reaction interface mass spectrometry

Addition of a reactant gas to a low pressure microwave-induced plasma creates a reaction interface in which complex molecules are converted into small polyatomic neutral species. For a given reactant gas the array of these small molecules reflect s the elemental composition of the original analyte. In this study HCI has been found highly effective as a reactant gas for selective detection of sulfur-eontaining compounds using capillary gas chromatography/ chernical reaction interface mass spectrometry. Detection limits as low as 30 pg of a sulfur-containing compound and a dynamic range of two orders of magnitude were achieved.     

Spectrometric analysis of non-metals introduced from a graphite furnace into a microwave-induced plasma

A low-power helium microwave-induced plasma, sustained in a cylindrical TM(010) cavity, has been used with sample introduction from a graphite furnace. An end-on optical configuration was employed to monitor both atomic and ionic emission from Cl, I, S and P. The operating parameters were optimized with respect to the nature of the plasma background response, the limits of detection, and the shapes and linearity ranges of the log-log analytical working curves. Possible applications were evaluated by determining iodine in milk and analysing a multi-component mixture of sulphur compounds.     

Evaluation of tetraglyme for the enrichment and analysis of volatile organic compounds in air

A recently developed method for the sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds in air has been evaluated. The system is based on the enrichment of analytes in tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether or tetraglyme, a water-soluble organic liquid. The subsequent analysis consists of dispersion of a sample aliquot in water followed by purge-and-trap and gas chromatographic separation. Physico-chemical data were investigated for 10 volatile organic compounds, providing information on the possibilities and limitations of the tetraglyme method. The target analytes included chlorinated alkanes and alkenes, and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Air/tetraglyme partition coefficients Kat were determined over an environmental relevant temperature range of 2-25 degrees C to evaluate sorption efficiencies and estimate breakthrough volumes at the sampling stage. At 2 degrees C breakthrough volumes (allowing 5% of breakthrough) ranged from 5.8 (1,1-dichloroethane) to 312 l (1,1,2-trichloroethane) for 20 ml of tetraglyme. With regard to the desorption stage, the effect of tetraglyme on the air/water partition of organic compounds was investigated through the measurement of air/tetraglyme-water partition coefficients Kat-w for 2-31% (v/v) tetraglyme in water. Finally a clean-up procedure for tetraglyme was evaluated. Analysis of a blank tetraglyme-water (17:83, v:v) mixture by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry showed minor background signals. None of the target compounds were detected.     

Determination of halogenated organic compounds by electrothermal vaporization into a helium microwave induced plasma at atmospheric pressure

Helium microwave-induced plasma emission spectrometry is utilized for the determination of high-molecular-weight halogenated organic compounds. The analyte is desolvated, electrothermally vaporized, and swept into the plasma to produce cationic emission from the halogen. The detection limit for Citex BC-26 was 8 ng at both the Cl and Br emission lines with linear ranges of over 2 orders of magnitude for Br while Cl showed evidence of self-absorption. The method is applied to the determination of the fire retardant, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate.     

Simultaneous quantification of polar and non-polar volatile organic compounds in water samples by direct aqueous injection-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A direct aqueous injection-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (DAI-GC/MS) method for trace analysis of 24 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water samples is presented. The method allows for the simultaneous quantification of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes (BTEX), methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), as well as a variety of chlorinated methanes, ethanes, propane, enthenes and benzenes. Applying a liquid film polyethylene glycol or a porous layer open tubular (PLOT) divinylbenzene GC capillary column to separate the water from the VOCs, volumes of 1-10 microL aqueous sample are directly injected into the GC. No enrichment or pretreatment steps are required and sample volumes as low as 100 microL are sufficient for accurate quantification. Method detection limits determined in natural groundwater samples were between 0.07 and 2.8 microg/L and instrument detection limits of <5 pg were achieved for 21 out of the 24 evaluated VOCs. DAI-GC/MS offers both good accuracy and precision (relative standard deviations 相似文献   

Near-infrared nonmetal atomic emission from a helium microwave-induced plasma: element ratio determinations

The utility of near-infrared atomic emission lines of C, F, S, Cl and Br for the determination of element ratios in organic compounds is evaluated. An atmospheric-pressure helium microwave-induced plasma is used to fragment sample molecules and excite their constituent atoms. The effects of plasma operating parameters such as power and flow rate, as well as the effects of spatial viewing position and plasma length are also investigated.     

A status report on helium inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The current status of helium inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (He ICPMS) is examined, its potentials and limitations are reviewed, and a summary of fundamental properties of atmospheric pressure He ICP discharges is presented. Also included are results of He ICPMS studies with a new helium plasma torch (18 mm i.d.) operated at four sets of operating conditions. Under the "cold plasma" condition (600 W forward power), no secondary discharge is observed and ion kinetic energies ranging from 2.0 eV to 9.5 eV for 6 elements (mass range: 39-208) are measured. At higher power levels, the secondary discharge still is strong. In general, detection limits for certain elements are improved by 1-3 orders of magnitude compared to previous data acquired in 1993 with a 13-mm He ICP torch. Elements such as K, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Co that suffer from spectral interferences in Ar ICPMS can be detected at pg/mL-levels with an analogue detector and a prototype ICPMS instrument having no photon stops or obstacles present in the ion trajectory path.     

A wavelength table for emission lines of non-metallic elements with transition assignments and relative intensities observed in an atmospheric pressure helium microwave-induced plasma

The emission lines of 10 non-metallic elements (H, C, N, O, F, Cl, P, S, Br and I) excited by an atmospheric pressure helium microwave-induced plasma have been tabulated with their relative intensities and transitions. These non-metallic elements were introduced into the plasma mostly as the vapor of organic compounds, although the emissions of H, N and O were observed due to the impurities in the helium gas. The spectral lines observed in the wavelength region from 190 to 850 nm were assigned with reference to established wavelength tables and tables of atomic energy levels. All emission line intensities of an element were normalized with respect to the most intense emission line of the element taken as 100.     

Microwave-induced plasma emission spectrophotometer combined with a photodiode array monitor for capillary column gas chromatography

A microwave-induced plasma emission spectrophotometric detector (MIPD) was used as an element-specific detector for capillary column gas chromatography. The atmospheric pressure microwave helium plasma generated with an original device called a SURFATRON was used as an atomization and excitation source. Combining a photodiode array spectrophotometer with the above system made the emission spectrophotometric detector very powerful. A wide range of spectra could be instantly monitored without any mechanical device. However, the spectrum of atmospheric helium emission plasma was complicated by the presence of air around the plasma discharge. An on-line background correction scheme was developed to handle such complicated spectra.     

Selective determination of organofluorine compounds by capillary column gas chromatography with an atmospheric pressure helium microwave-induced plasma detector

Fluorinated analogs of compounds typical of those found in metabolic and other biological studies are detected with high selectivity using a gas chromatograph/microwave-induced plasma detector (GC-MIPD), which permits fluorine-selective detection by monitoring the emission at 685.6 nm. Using the described atmospheric pressure helium-sustained plasma detector, the minimum detectable level, fluorine selectivity (relative to carbon), and linear dynamic range of this GC-MIPD system were determined to be 4.8 pg-F/s, 1060, and 5000, respectively. The utility of this GC-MIPD system for the selective detection of organofluorine compounds is demonstrated by its application in the analysis of the metabolic fate of a fluorinated substrate administered to a mixture of wheat germ phosphatase and potato apyrase, as well as by analysis of synthetic mixtures.