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Fizzy Extraction of Volatile Organic Compounds Combined with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry
Published on: July 14, 2017
Chloride-enhanced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of polychlorinated n-alkanes
1Organic Analytical Chemistry, University of Basel, Neuhausstr. 31, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The use of high-performance liquid chromatography combined with chloride-enhanced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for the determination of polychlorinated n-alkanes (PCAs, also called chlorinated paraffins or CPs) is described as an alternative to gas chromatographic methods. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the negative ion mode formed exclusively [M+Cl](-) adduct ions and suppressed fragmentation when a chlorinated solvent was added. Limits of detection were 1-2 ng/microL for technical PCA mixtures. Response factors for single short-chain PCA homologues with different degrees of chlorination varied by not more than a factor of 6.5. The developed method was applied for the determination of the composition of technical PCA mixtures as well as for the analysis of PCAs in household commodities. Medium-chain PCAs were found in paint samples at concentrations of 8.2-11.5% (w/w), compared with 7.4-11.5% obtained by gas chromatography combined with electron ionization tandem mass spectrometry.
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