Determination of parabens in house dust by pressurised hot water extraction followed by stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study describes the development of a new method for determining p-hydroxybenzoic esters (parabens) in house dust. This optimised method was based on the pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) of house dust, followed by the acetylation of the extracted parabens, stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with a polydimethylsiloxane stir bar, and finally analysis using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). The combination of SBSE and PHWE allows the analytes to be preconcentrated and extracted from the aqueous extract in a single step with minimal manipulation of the sample. Furthermore the in situ acetylation of parabens prior to SBSE improved their extraction efficiency and their GC-MS signal. The method showed recoveries of between 40 and 80%, good linearity, repeatability and reproducibility (<10% RSD, at 100 ng g(-1), n=5), low limits of detection (from 1.0 ng g(-1) for propyl paraben to 2.1 ng g(-1) for methyl paraben) and quantification (from 3.3 ng g(-1) for propyl paraben to 8.5 ng g(-1) for methyl paraben). The proposed method was applied to the analysis of house dust samples. All the target parabens were found in the samples. Methyl and propyl parabens were the most abundant, with concentrations up to 2440 ng g(-1) and 910 ng g(-1), respectively. The high levels of parabens found in the samples confirm the importance of determining organic contaminants in indoor environments.     

Determination of 4-nonylphenol and 4-tert.-octylphenol in water samples by stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A simple and highly sensitive method called thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which is used for the determination of trace amounts of 4-nonylphenol (NP) and 4-tert.-octylphenol (OP) in water samples, is described. NP and OP in samples are extracted from water samples and concentrated by the stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technique. A stir bar coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is added to a 2.0 ml water sample and stirring is carried out for 60 min at room temperature (25 °C) in a headspace vial. Then the extract is high sensitively analyzed by TD-GC-MS without any derivatization step. The optimum SBSE conditions are realized at an extraction time of 60 min. The detection limits are 0.02 ng ml⁻¹ for NP and 0.002 ng ml⁻¹ for OP. The method shows good linearity over the concentration range of 0.1-10 ng ml⁻¹ for NP and 0.01-10 ng ml⁻¹ for OP, and the correlation coefficients are higher than 0.999. The average recoveries of NP and OP are higher than 97% (R.S.D.: 3.6-6.2%) with correction using the added surrogate standards, 4-(1-methyl) octylphenol-d₅ and deuterium 4-tert.-octylphenol. This simple, accurate, sensitive and selective analytical method may be used in the determination of trace amounts of NP and OP in tap and river water samples.     

Stir bar sorptive extraction with in situ derivatization and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for determination of chlorophenols in water and body fluid samples

A new method, stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with in situ derivatization and thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which is used for the determination of trace amounts of chlorophenols, such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TrCP), 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TeCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP), in tap water, river water and human urine samples, is described. The derivatization conditions with acetic acid anhydride and the SBSE conditions such as extraction time are investigated. Then, the stir bar is subjected to TD followed by GC-MS. The detection limits of the chlorophenols in tap water, river water and human urine samples are 1-2, 1-2, and 10-20 pg ml⁻¹ (ppt), respectively. The calibration curves for the chlorophenols are linear and have correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. The average recoveries of the chlorophenols in all the samples are higher than 95% (R.S.D. < 10%) with correction using added surrogate standards, 2,4-dichlorophenol-d₅, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol-¹³C₆, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol-¹³C₆ and pentachlorophenol-¹³C₆. This simple, accurate, sensitive and selective analytical method may be applicable to the determination of trace amounts of chlorophenols in liquid samples.     

Simultaneous determination of parabens and synthetic musks in water by stir-bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study focuses on a method for simultaneously determining personal care products in a wide range of polarities in different water matrices. The method is based on stir‐bar sorptive extraction followed by thermal desorption‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Prior to extraction, the parabens were acetylated to improve their affinity for the polydimethylsiloxane phase of the stir bar. The method showed good linearity, repeatability and reproducibility between days for all compounds and limits of detection at low ng/L levels (between 0.02 and 0.3 ng/L). The proposed method is also environmentally friendly, because it does not use organic solvents, and reduces the risk of external pollution, due to the minimal manipulation of the sample required. The method developed was successfully applied for the analysis of personal care products in different kinds of water matrices: influents and effluents of urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants, effluents of a reverse osmosis treatment plant and river waters. The influents of urban treatment plants generally showed the highest values for synthetic musks, with concentrations of up to 2219 ng/L of galaxolide, whereas the highest concentrations of parabens were detected in the industrial treatment plants influents.     

Stir bar sorptive extraction with in situ derivatization and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for trace analysis of methylmercury and mercury(II) in water sample

A method for the trace analysis of methylmercury (MeHg) and Hg(II) in water sample was developed, which involved stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with in situ alkylation with sodium tetraethylborate and thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The limits of quantification of MeHg and Hg(II) are 20 and 10 ng L⁻¹ (Hg), respectively. The method shows good linearity and the correlation coefficients are higher than 0.999. The average recoveries of MeHg and Hg(II) in tap or river water sample are 102.1-104.3% (R.S.D.: 7.0-8.9%) and 105.3-106.2% (R.S.D.: 7.4-8.5%), respectively. This simple, accurate, sensitive, and selective analytical method may be used in the determination of trace amounts of MeHg and Hg(II) in tap and river water samples.     

大体积搅拌棒吸附萃取技术与热脱附-气相色谱-质谱法测定地表水中多环芳烃

基于搅拌棒吸附萃取(SBSE)技术建立了气相色谱-质谱测定地表水中16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的分析方法。该法采用多搅拌吸附棒同时富集,依次热脱附冷聚焦后进样的方式有效解决了搅拌棒吸附时间长、富集水样体积小等问题。优化后的结果表明,在0.2~10 ng/L范围内(萘为0.5~10 ng/L范围),16种PAHs的线性关系良好,相关系数(r)均0.99,方法检出限(MDL)为0.03~0.20 ng/L(萘为0.50 ng/L)。用该方法对钱塘江流域地表水进行测定,共检测出11种PAHs,含量为0.13~1.57 ng/L,不同添加水平下的加标回收率为75.6%~108.9%。该法可应用于地表水样品中该类物质的超痕量检测。     

Simultaneous determination of 64 pesticides in river water by stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for determining 68 pesticides in river water using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE)-thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is described. SBSE sampling was optimized for sample solution pH, salting-out and methanol addition. Although salting-out enhanced the ability of the method to extract most of the pesticides with low absolute recoveries, the absolute recoveries of four pesticides were not improved by salting-out. The detection limits of the method for the pesticides ranged from 0.2 to 20 ng/l. Analyte recoveries from a river water sample spiked with standards at 10 and 100 ng/l were 58.5–132.0% (RSD: 1.8–15.8%) and 61.0–121.3% (RSD: 1.4–20.2%), respectively.     

Development and application of a polar coating for stir bar sorptive extraction of emerging pollutants from environmental water samples

In the present study, a stir bar coated with hydrophilic polymer based on poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-divinylbenzene) was prepared for the sorptive extraction of polar compounds. The main parameters affecting the polymerisation of the coating were investigated.The new stir bar was applied successfully in stir bar sorptive extraction with liquid desorption followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry in tandem with a triple quadrupole for the determination of a group of polar pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in environmental water matrices. Different variables affecting extraction and desorption such as agitation speed, temperature, ionic strength and extraction time were optimised. The results showed that the stir bar is able to enrich the selected analytes effectively.The developed method was applied to determine a group of PPCPs in different complex environmental samples, including river, effluent and influent waste water.     

Stir bar sorptive extraction and trace analysis of alkylphenols in water samples by thermal desorption with in tube silylation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A novel method called thermal desorption (TD) with in tube silylation followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which is used for the determination of trace amounts of alkylphenols (APs) in river water samples, is described. APs are extracted from river water samples and concentrated by the stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technique. The stir bar coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is added to 2.0 ml water sample and stirring is carried out for 60 min at room temperature (25 degrees C) in the vial. Then, the PDMS stir bar is subjected to TD with in tube silylation followed by GC-MS. The detection limit is of the sub pg ml(-1) (ppt) level. The method shows good linearity and the correlation coefficients are higher than 0.99 for all analytes. The average recoveries of APs are higher than 90% (R.S.D.: 3.6-14.8%, n=6). This simple and sensitive analytical method may be used in the determination of trace amounts of APs in river water samples.     

Headspace stir bar sorptive extraction followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine musk fragrances in sludge samples without sample pretreatment

A direct, simple and solvent‐free method based on headspace stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy was developed to determine 13 musk fragrances (six polycyclic musks, three nitro musks and four macrocyclic musks) in sludge without sample treatment. The optimal headspace stir bar sorptive extraction conditions were achieved when a polydimethylsiloxane stir bar was exposed for 45 min in the headspace of a 10 mL vial filled with 100 mg of sludge mixed with 0.2 mL of water stirred at 750 rpm at 80°C. The stir bar was then desorbed in the thermal desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry system, obtaining limits of detection between 5 and 30 ng/g. The method applicability was tested with sewage sludge from two urban wastewater treatment plants and from a potable water treatment plant. Results showed galaxolide and tonalide to be the most abundant musk fragrances found in wastewater treatment plants with maximal concentrations of 9240 and 7500 ng/g, respectively. Maximum concentration levels between 35 and 635 ng/g were found for musk ketone, musk moskene, traseolide, phantolide and celestolide in this kind of samples. Concentrations below the limits of quantitation of phantolide, galaxolide, tonalide and musk ketone were found in sludge from a potable water treatment plant.     

Determination of fluoxetine in plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using stir bar sorptive extraction

This article presents a method employing stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with in situ derivatization, in combination with either thermal or liquid desorption on-line coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis of fluoxetine in plasma samples. Ethyl chloroformate was employed as derivatizing agent producing symmetrical peaks. Parameters such as solvent polarity, time for analyte desorption, and extraction time, were evaluated. During the validation process, the developed method presented specificity, linearity (R² > 0.99), precision (R.S.D. < 15%), and limits of quantification (LOQ) of 30 and 1.37 pg mL⁻¹, when liquid and thermal desorption were employed, respectively. This simple and highly sensitive method showed to be adequate for the measurement of fluoxetine in typical and trace concentration levels.     

Analysis of wine primary aroma compounds by stir bar sorptive extraction

Due to the great importance of some primary aroma compounds on wine quality, these compounds which includes terpenes, C₁₃-norisoprenoids and C₆ compounds, have been analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The stir bar sorptive extraction method was optimized in terms of temperature, time, pH and NaCl addition. The best SBSE sorption kinetics for the target analytes were obtained after submitting the solutions to 60 °C during 90 min. The addition of sodium chloride did not enhance the volatile extraction. The method proposed showed good linearity over the concentration range tested, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.98 for all the analytes. The reproducibility and repeatability of the method was estimated between 0.22 and 9.11%. The detection and quantification limits of all analytes were lower than their respective olfactory threshold values. The application of this SBSE method revealed that monovarietal white wines were clearly separated by two canonic discriminating functions when grape varieties were used as differentiating variable, the first of which explained 98.4% of the variance. The compounds which contributed most to the differentiation were limonene, linalool, nerolidol and 1-hexanol.     

On-site determination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and thermal desorption GC-MS

The identification and quantification of semi-volatile contaminants dissolved in water is currently done in laboratory after a sampling step. This procedure is not satisfactory first because risks of samples contamination and analytes losses remain, in particular when these are present in ultra-trace concentrations, and secondly because procedures are time-consuming. The coupling of the stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), a new device of extraction technique, and a new generation of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the field apparatus EM 640 S from Bruker, could be an answer to the challenge of on-site analysis. This analytical system was used to analyze 24 PAHs, among them 15 EPA priority pollutants. It was shown that this coupling led to encouraging results with LODs around the sub-ppt level for most of the compounds and R.S.D. included between 1 and 48%. The existence of competition phenomena between the various analytes inside the absorbent phase was demonstrated with the release (up to 80%) of light compounds. This result shows the necessity to work on the kinetic domain rather than on the thermodynamic equilibrium that is influenced by nature and concentration of other compounds. The matrix effects were also studied through the comparative analysis of ultrapure water, artificial and natural seawaters spiked with PAHs and the influence of ionic strength and particulate organic matter was investigated.     

Use of experimental design in the optimisation of stir bar sorptive extraction followed by thermal desorption for the determination of brominated flame retardants in water samples

A method for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) in water samples is proposed. The method involving stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and thermal desorption followed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was optimised using statistical design of experiments. In the first place, the influence of different polydimethylsiloxane stir bars was studied. A Plackett–Burman design was chosen to estimate the influence of five factors on the efficiency of the SBSE process: desorption time (5–10 min), desorption temperature (250–300 °C), desorption flow (50–100 mL min⁻¹), cryofocusing temperature (-130 to 40 °C) and vent pressure (0–12.8 psi). Afterwards, two central composite designs were used to find the optimal process settings that were applied to the optimisation of both desorption and extraction efficiency. In the case of the desorption parameters, long desorption times (10 min) and desorption flows lower than 70 mL min^-1 yielded the best signals for the majority of compounds. However, different behaviour among the analytes was observed for the vent pressure and we decided to fix it at an intermediate value (7 psi). In the case of extraction parameters, the sample volume and the addition of NaCl did not have a significant effect, while the addition of methanol yielded better extraction responses. Remarkable recovery (82–106%) and repeatability (less than 18%) were attained. Furthermore, excellent regression coefficients (r ² = 0.991–0.999) and low detection limits (1.1–6.0 ng L⁻¹) were also achieved for the congeners studied. The proposed method was applied to the analyses of PBDEs and PBBs in waters from the Basque Country, Spain.     

搅拌棒固相萃取的研究进展

作为一种新型的环境友好型样品前处理技术,搅拌棒固相萃取(SBSE)集萃取、净化和富集为一体,已经在环境监测、食品安全和生物分析等领域进行了广泛应用。本文结合作者所在研究小组的研究工作,对近几年来SBSE技术的发展进行综述,重点阐述了各种新涂层的研究和应用,同时就SBSE发展方向提出了展望。     

Comparison of volatile constituents extracted from model grape juice and model wine by stir bar sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was optimised for the analysis of volatile components of a model wine, based on a previously optimised method used for analysis of the same components in model grape juice. The presence of ethanol in the model wine sample matrix resulted in decreased sensitivity of the method toward most of the volatile constituents. Mean percent relative recoveries and reproducibilities (%CV) were 22.8% and 7.1%, respectively, compared with 28.4% and 8.5% for model grape juice. The mean limit of detection (LoD) ratio (juice:wine) was 0.25. Similar sensitivities for the two sample matrices using this method were achieved by changing the split ratio from 20:1 (grape juice) to 5:1 (wine), giving a mean limit of detection ratio (juice:wine) of 1.0, thus allowing direct comparison of chromatograms of volatile components in the two matrices. This enabled direct comparisons of grape juices and the wines derived from them by alcoholic yeast fermentation. The influence of ethanol concentration in the range 9-15% on method sensitivity is discussed, using an overlay of the total ion chromatograms. The use of a gas saver device for the 5:1 split ratio analysis of desorbed model wine aroma compounds is discussed in terms of preventing extraneous reaction of sorbent and stationary phases with air during analysis.     

Analysis for chloroanisoles and chlorophenols in cork by stir bar sorptive extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A complete methodology for the determination of chloroanisoles and chlorophenols in cork material is proposed. The determination is accomplished by means of a previous liquid–solid extraction followed by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two different liquid–solid extraction experiments were conducted and eight compounds considered (2,6-dichloroanisole, 2,4-dichloroanisole, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachloroanisole, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachloroanisole and pentachlorophenol). From the results obtained we can conclude that high volume extraction extending extraction time up to 24 h is the best choice if we have to release compounds from the inner surfaces of cork stoppers. Recovery percentages ranged from 51% for pentachloroanisole to 81% for 2,4-dichloroanisole. This method allows the determination of an array of compounds involved in cork taint at very low levels from 1.2 ng g⁻¹ for 2,4,6-tricholoroanisole to 23.03 ng g⁻¹ for 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol.     

Stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to liquid chromatography for the analysis of strobilurin fungicides in fruit samples

A stir bar microextraction (SBSE) procedure for the determination of seven strobilurin fungicides in fruit samples using liquid chromatography (LC) and diode array detection (DAD) has been developed. The samples were sonicated in the presence of ethanol before submitting the extracts to SBSE. The incorporation of drazoxolon as an internal standard before SBSE allowed calibration without the need to use the standard additions method. Under the optimized conditions, detection limits were in the 0.3–2 ng g⁻¹ range, corresponding to trifloxystrobin and metominostrobin, respectively. The SBSE–LC–DAD procedure showed good repeatability (RSD below 11% in all cases) and provided recoveries of 80–105% from spiked samples. The method was applied to fifteen fruit samples, and low levels of pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin were found in two of them.     

Optimization of a novel method for the organic chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosols based on microwave-assisted extraction combined with stir bar sorptive extraction

A practical analytical methodology based on coupling microwave-assisted extraction-stir bar sorptive extraction-thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MAE-SBSE-TD-GC-MS) was developed and validated for the characterization of several SVOC in atmospheric particulate matter (PM).The high enrichment capacity of SBSE makes it a powerful tool for improving detection limits and MAE has been useful for overcoming the long extraction times and high volumes of extraction solvent used in traditional methodologies. Relative to Soxhlet extraction followed by GC-MS analysis (EPA Methods 3540 and 8270C), the MAE-SBSE-TD-GC-MS methodology resulted with approximately 10⁴ times better detection limits. Detection limits ranged from 0.3 to 8.3 pg m⁻³ for pp′-DDD and decachlorobyphenyl, respectively in PM2.5, 24 m³ air sample. The performance of the optimized methodology gave good precisions, with R.S.D. less than 30% for most of the standards, and linearity within the range tested of 0.1-15 μg L⁻¹. Analysis of real PM samples resulted in the identification of compounds in the ng L⁻¹ range.     

Optimisation of stir bar sorptive extraction and liquid desorption combined with large volume injection-gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry for the determination of volatile compounds in wines

Stir bar sorptive extraction and liquid desorption followed by large volume injection coupled to gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (SBSE-LD/LVI-GC-qMS) had been applied for the determination of volatiles in wines. The methodology was optimised in terms of extraction time and influence of ethanol in the matrix; LD conditions, and instrumental settings. The optimisation was carried out by using 10 standards representative of the main chemical families of wine, i.e. guaiazulene, E,E-farnesol, β-ionone, geranylacetone, ethyl decanoate, β-citronellol, 2-phenylethanol, linalool, hexyl acetate and hexanol. The methodology shows good linearity over the concentration range tested, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9821, a good reproducibility was attained (8.9-17.8%), and low detection limits were achieved for nine volatile compounds (0.05-9.09 μg L⁻¹), with the exception of 2-phenylethanol due to low recovery by SBSE. The analytical ability of the SBSE-LD/LVI-GC-qMS methodology was tested in real matrices, such as sparkling and table wines using analytical curves prepared by using the 10 standards where each one was applied to quantify the structurally related compounds. This methodology allowed, in a single run, the quantification of 67 wine volatiles at levels lower than their respective olfactory thresholds. The proposed methodology demonstrated to be easy to work-up, reliable, sensitive and with low sample requirement to monitor the volatile fraction of wine.