Evaluation of a microwave-assisted extraction technique for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in sediments.

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in marine sediment samples has been investigated. The analytes were extracted under different treatment conditions, such as temperature, time and extraction solvent. They were quantified by an isotope-dilution method, and the observed concentrations and recovery yields obtained under different conditions were compared. The results of a comparison between this MAE and other extraction techniques, such as pressurized fluid extraction, saponification, sonication, and Soxhlet extraction, are also given in this report. The techniques gave comparable results with the values obtained by other extraction techniques and the certified values in the samples. However, the observed concentration values of mono- and dichlorinated biphenyls varied depending on the extraction temperature.