Dioxin analysis by gas chromatography-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (GC-FTICRMS)

The feasibility of utilizing a gas chromatograph-tandem quadrupole-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS-FTICRMS) to analyze chlorinated-dioxins/furans (CDDs/CDFs) and mixed halogenated dioxins/furans (HDDs/HDFs) was investigated by operating the system in the GC-FTICRMS mode. CDDs/CDFs and mixed HDDs/HDFs could be analyzed at 50,000 to 100,000 resolving power (RP) on the capillary gas chromatographic time scale. Initial experiments demonstrated that 1 pg of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 5 pg of 2-bromo-3,7,8-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (BTrCDD) could be detected. The feasibility of utilizing an FTICRMS for screening of CDDs/CDFs, HDDs/HDFs and related compounds was also investigated by analyzing an extract from vegetation exposed to fall-out from an industrial fire. CDDs/CDFs, chlorinated pyrenes and chlorinated tetracenes could be detected from a Kendrick plot analysis of the ultrahigh resolution mass spectra. Mass accuracies were of the order of 0.5 ppm on standards with external mass calibration and 1 ppm on a sample with internal mass calibration.