Quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in the electron-capture negative ion mode as detector for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography- A discussion on recent innovations

Although comprehensive 2-D GC is an established and often applied analytical method, the field is still highly dynamic thanks to a remarkable number of innovations. In this review, we discuss a number of recent developments in comprehensive 2-D GC technology. A variety of modulation methods are still being actively investigated and many exciting improvements are discussed in this review. We also review interesting developments in detection methods, retention modeling, and data analysis.

Short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in Canadian house dust and NIST SRM 2585

A method for the analysis of short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) in house dust was developed. The method is based on sonication extraction, sample cleanup by solid phase extraction (SPE), and separation and detection by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) operated in electron capture negative ion (ECNI) chemical ionization mode. The method is sensitive, with method detection limits (MDLs) down to 0.22 μg/g for SCCPs and 0.55 μg/g for MCCPs. The overall recoveries of the method were 104 (± 11)% and 108 (± 16)% for SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of SCCPs and MCCPs in NIST standard reference material (SRM 2585, organic contaminants in house dust) and a subset of house dust samples collected under the Canadian House Dust Study (CHDS). Average concentrations of SCCPs and MCCPs in SRM 2585 (n = 12 replicates) were 7.58 (± 0.43) μg/g for SCCPs and 16.4 (± 2.1) μg/g for MCCPs, respectively. A comparison was made between CP concentrations in paired dust samples collected using two different methods from the same homes: fresh or "active" dust (FD) collected by technicians and a sample taken from the household vacuum cleaner (HD). Spearman rank analysis showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.01) between FD and HD samples for both MCCPs and SCCPs. CPs were detected in every house dust sample (n = 48 HD samples), with median (range) concentrations of 6.2 (4.0 - 57) μg/g and 19 (5.9-901) μg/g for SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively. Widely scattered CP levels and 100% detection frequency in this preliminary set of 48 HD samples suggest a wide variability in Canadian household exposures to CPs.

Gas Chromatographic Techniques in Metabolomics

High chemical diversity and abundances ranging from trace to millimolar levels still constitute at times insurmountable challenges in the comprehensive analysis of metabolites in biomedical specimens. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) hyphenated with separation techniques such as liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) are the most frequently used techniques for both targeted and discovery‐driven metabolomics. Of the separation techniques, comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) offers the highest peak resolution and capacity, and in combination with MS lower quantification limits in the submicromolar concentration range are realized. Moreover, electron ionization (EI), the most prominent ionization technique for GC‐MS, is highly reproducible, facilitating the generation of mass spectral libraries for routine metabolite identification. However, GC analysis often requires a derivatization prior to analysis and not all metabolite derivatives are recorded in the libraries available. Consequently, metabolite identification is still a major challenge. To identify unknown metabolite signals, soft ionization techniques in combination with high‐resolution MS are employed to determine the accurate mass of the quasi‐molecular ion. The latter is used to calculate elemental formulae that can be fed into metabolite databases for a putative identification or used for the interpretation of EI spectra.

Highly sensitive and selective analysis of urinary steroids by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with positive chemical ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry

Comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) provides greater separation space than conventional GC. Because of fast peak elution, a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) is the usual structure-specific detector of choice. The quantitative capabilities of a novel GC × GC fast quadrupole MS were investigated with electron ionization (EI), and CH(4) or NH(3) positive chemical ionization (PCI) for analysis of endogenous urinary steroids targeted in anti-doping tests. Average precisions for steroid quantitative analysis from replicate urine extractions were 6% (RSD) for EI and 8% for PCI-NH(3). The average limits of detection (LODs) calculated by quantification ions for 12 target steroids spiked into steroid-free urine matrix (SFUM) were 2.6 ng mL(-1) for EI, 1.3 ng mL(-1) for PCI-CH(4), and 0.3 ng mL(-1) for PCI-NH(3), all in mass scanning mode. The measured limits of quantification (LOQs) with full mass scan GC × GC-qMS were comparable with the LOQ values measured by one-dimensional GC-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. PCI-NH(3) yields fewer fragments and greater (pseudo)molecular ion abundances than EI or PCI-CH(4). These data show that a benchtop GC × GC-qMS system has the sensitivity, specificity, and resolution to analyze urinary steroids at normal urine concentrations, and that PCI-NH(3), not currently available on most GC × GC-TOFMS instruments, is of particular value for generation of structure-specific ions.

Application of mass spectrometry in the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers

This review summarized the applications of mass spectrometric techniques for the analysis of the important flame retardants polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) to understand the environmental sources, fate and toxicity of PBDEs that were briefly discussed to give a general idea for the need of analytical methodologies. Specific performance of various mass spectrometers hyphenated with, for example, gas chromatograph, liquid chromatograph, and inductively coupled plasma (GC/MS, LC/MS, and ICP/MS, respectively) for the analysis of PBDEs was compared with an objective to present the information on the evolution of MS techniques for determining PBDEs in environmental and human samples. GC/electron capture negative ionization quadrupole MS (GC/NCI qMS), GC/high resolution MS (GC/HRMS) and GC ion trap MS (GC/ITMS) are most commonly used MS techniques for the determination of PBDEs. New analytical technologies such as fast tandem GC/MS and LC/MS become available to improve analyses of higher PBDEs. The development and application of the tandem MS techniques have helped to understand environmental fate and transformations of PBDEs of which abiotic and biotic degradation of decaBDE is thought to be one major source of Br(1-9)BDEs present in the environment in addition to direct loading from commercial mixtures. MS-based proteomics will offer an insight into the molecular mechanisms of toxicity and potential developmental and neurotoxicity of PBDEs.

The analysis of dioxins and related compounds

The analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other related compounds requires complex sample preparation and analytical procedures using highly sensitive and selective state-of-the-art instrumentation to meet very stringent data quality objectives. The analytical procedures (extraction, sample preparation), instrumentation (chromatographic separation and detection by mass spectrometry) and screening techniques for the determination of dioxins, furans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and related compounds with a focus on new approaches and alternate techniques to standard regulatory methods are reviewed.

Evaluation of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography - time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the determination of pesticides in tobacco

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) with fast acquisition time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to analyze a tobacco extract for pesticides. The emphasis was on qualitative characterization of the sample, using automated peak find and spectral deconvolution software to identify 14 pesticides in the extract. Two additional pesticides were located based on manual review of the data. Matrix-matched standards of tobacco extract spiked with 2.5 to 50 ng/mL concentrations of numerous organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides were used to demonstrate linearity and the GC x GC benefit of eliminating interferences that might contribute to quantification bias.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: a review

Although comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) has been on the scene for more than 15 years, it is still generally considered a relatively novel technique and is yet far from being fully established. The revolutionary aspect of GC x GC, with respect to classical multidimensional chromatography, is that the entire sample is subjected to two distinct analytical separations. The resulting enhanced separating capacity makes this approach a prime choice when GC analysts are challenged with highly complex mixtures. The combination of a third mass spectrometric dimension to a GC x GC system generates the most powerful analytical tool today for volatile and semi-volatile analytes. The present review is focused on the rather brief, but not scant, history of comprehensive two-dimensional GC-MS: the first experiments were carried out at the end of the 1990s and, since then, the methodology has been increasingly studied and applied. Almost all GC x GC-MS applications have been carried out by using either a time-of-flight or quadrupole mass analyzer; significant experiments relative to a variety of research fields, as well as advantages and disadvantages of the MS systems employed, are discussed. The principles, practical and theoretical aspects, and the most significant developments of GC x GC are also described.

Pulsed large volume injection gas chromatography coupled with electron-capture negative ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of typical halogenated persistent organic pollutants

A pulsed large-volume injection gas chromatography coupled with electron-capture negative ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry (pLVI-GC/ECNI-qMS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of typical halogenated persistent organic pollutants (H-POPs). By monitoring the characteristic ions of large mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) for each of the H-POPs rather than the chlorine and/or bromine ions, this method avoided the possible interferences arising from the H-POPs themselves and from complex matrices encountered frequently in current GC/qMS methods; and allowed, on the other hand, the use of (13)C-labeled and perdeuterated analogues as internal standards for reliable quantification. pLVI up to 120 microL improved the instrumental detection limits down to pg-fg mL(-1), comparable to or lower than those obtained by the recognized GC/high-resolution MS methods reported so far. The H-POPs including 12 polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 1 polybrominated biphenyl, 10 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 4 hexachlorocyclohexane isomers, and hexachlorobenzene were involved in this study. The method developed demonstrated good linearity (r(2) = 0.9904-0.9999) within 0.5 to 50,000 pg mL(-1) for PCBs and 0.05 to 5000 pg mL(-1) for other H-POPs, and was satisfactory in terms of both repeatability (0.07%-2.2%) and reproducibility (2.1%-8.4%). It was validated by analyzing a NIST standard reference material SRM-1946 of Lake Superior fish tissue with low 0.01 to 63 pg g(-1) method detection limits, and successfully applied to the determination of the H-POPs in five reference materials of different matrices.

Recent advancements in comprehensive two-dimensional separations with chemometrics

Comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) separations provide the analyst with a tremendous amount of complex data. In order to glean useful information from this complex data, advancements in commercially available software that implement chemometrics are currently available and continue to evolve. Future advancements will no doubt involve commercializing (or adapting) specialized, in-house chemometric techniques that are currently found only in the hands of technical experts and researchers in industry, government, and academia. In order to make timely advancements, future commercialization of novel chemometric techniques should involve collaborations among instrument software manufacturers, professional programmers, technical experts, and researchers. During the last decade, this field has seen a steady advancement from single analyte target analysis to comprehensive non-target analysis of entire multidimensional sample profiles (involving sample classification and/or data mining for discovery-based sample comparisons). The advancements in instrumentation and chemometric software tools have a tremendous impact in various applications: fuels, food, environmental, pharmaceuticals, metabolomics, etc. Most of the development has been for software to apply with gas chromatography-based instrumentation, such as comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC-TOF-MS). More recently there have been notable advancements in liquid-phase instrumentation as well.

Analysis of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether on flavedo and albedo tissues of tangerines (Citrus reticulata) with symptoms of alternaria brown spot

A method was developed for the quantification of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether on tangerines with and without symptoms of Alternaria brown spot disease. The method employs solid-phase extraction for cleanup, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for detection. This method was validated on flavedo (exocarp or epicarp, exterior yellow peel) and on albedo tissue (mesocarp, interior white peel). An excellent linearity over a range of 0.50-20.0 mg/kg was achieved, with r2 >or= 0.997. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were fewer than 0.13 and 0.50 microg/kg, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were <or=14.4% during the validation. The levels of these mycotoxins on flavedo of fruits with symptoms vary from 2.54 +/- 0.24 to 17.40 +/- 1.05 mug/kg. Surprisingly, neither alternariol nor altenariol monomethyl ether was detected on albedo tissues, suggesting that flavedo works as a barrier for such substances.

Analysis of short-chain chlorinated paraffins: a discussion paper

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins are a class of organic compounds widely used in many industrial applications, extensively diffused into the environment, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic towards aquatic organisms. However, their study and monitoring in the environment are still limited. Because of the enormous number of positional isomers that characterise their mixtures, the analysis of this class of pollutants is very difficult to perform. Beside this, the lack of certified reference materials poses a problem for the assessment of the quality assurance/quality control of any analytical procedure. At present, the scientific community does not agree on any analytical reference method, although the monitoring of short-chain chlorinated paraffins has already started in order to comply with the Water Framework Directive of the European Union on water quality. In this paper the regulatory framework, in which chlorinated paraffins are included, and the status concerning their determination are summarized. The main analytical difficulties still existing are discussed, and the definition of a method-defined parameter as well as the development of a standardised method are suggested as a way to obtain comparable monitoring data.

Application of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with nitrogen-selective detection for the analysis of fungicide residues in vegetable samples

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) with nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD) has been investigated for the separation and quantitation of fungicides in vegetable samples. The detector gas flows (H(2), N(2) and air) were adjusted to achieve maximum response of signal whilst minimizing peak width. The comparison of different column sets and selection of the temperature program were carried out with a mixture of nine N-containing standard fungicides, eight of which were chlorinated. The results from GCxGC-NPD and GCxGC with micro electron-capture detection (muECD) were compared. External calibrations of fungicides were performed over a concentration range from 1 to 1,000 microgL(-1). The peak area calibration curves generally had regression coefficients of R(2)>0.9980, however for iprodione which was observed to undergo on-column degradation, an R(2) of 0.990 was found. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were less than about 74 and 246 ng L(-1), respectively. The intra-day and inter-day RSD values were measured for solutions of concentration 0.100, 0.500 and 1.50 mg L(-1). For the 0.500 mg L(-1) solution, intra- and inter-day precision of peak area and peak height for most of the pesticides were about 2% and 8%, respectively. Excellent linearity was observed for these standards, from 0.001 to 25.00 mg L(-1). The standard mixture peak positions were identified by using GCxGC with quadrupole mass spectrometry (qMS). To illustrate the potential and the versatility of both GCxGC-NPD and GCxGC-muECD, the method was applied to determination of fungicides in a vegetable extract. Decomposition of one fungicide standard (iprodione) during chromatography elution was readily observed in the two-dimensional (2D) GCxGC plot as a diagonal ridge response in the 2D chromatogram between the degrading compound and the decomposition product.

Advances in analytical techniques for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dioxin-like PCBs

Analytical techniques for the determination of polychorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and dioxin-like PCBs (DLPCB) are reviewed. The focus of the review is on recent advances in methodology and analytical procedures. The paper also reviews toxicology, the development of toxic equivalent factors (TEF) and the determination of toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) values. Sources, occurrence and temporal trends of PCDD/PCDF are summarized to provide examples of levels and concentration ranges for the methods and techniques reviewed.

Chlorinated paraffins: a review of analysis and environmental occurrence

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), as technical mixtures of polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs), are ubiquitous in the environment. CPs tend to behave in a similar way to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), leading several countries to impose regulations on the use of CPs. In this article, we review the literature on the properties of CPs, the current analytical tools available to determine CPs in various types of environmental matrices, and concentrations found in the environment. In particular, concentrations of CPs in environmental compartments including air, water, sediments, biota, human food products and human tissues are summarized. Priorities for future research are: improvements in analytical methodologies (reducing the complexity of the analysis, producing reference materials and performing interlaboratory studies); determining background levels of chlorinated paraffins in the environment and human populations (this question should be answered using quality assured analytical tools allowing the intercomparison of data); and investigating the sources of CPs to the environment and to humans.

Group separation of organohalogenated compounds by means of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Separations of 12 compound classes, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), naphthalenes (PCNs), dibenzothiophenes (PCDTs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), terphenyls (PCTs) and alkanes (PCAs), toxaphene, organohalogenated pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography were evaluated. Five column combinations, DB-1 x 007-210, DB-1 x HT-8, DB-1 x LC-50, DB-1 x 007-65HT and DB-1 x VF-23ms were used to study, primarily, group-type separations, but attention was devoted also to within-class separation, especially for those classes which were not addressed in much detail before, the PCNs, OCPs, PBBs and PCTs. The DB-1 x 007-210 column set did not offer any extra separation compared to one-dimensional GC. For the DB-1 x HT-8 column combination, the useful principle of congener separation on the basis of number of halogen substituents in a molecule was confirmed (PCBs, toxaphene) and extended (PCTs, PBDEs). No practically useful group-type separation was observed for this column combination. The DB-1 x LC-50 set provides group separation based on planarity: planar compounds such as PCDDs, PCDFs, PCDTs and PCNs are much more retained than, and therefore separated from, non-planar analytes. Within the classes of PCBs, PBBs and PCTs highly useful separation of planar from non-planar compounds was also observed. The DB-1 x 007-65HT column set effectively separates PCAs and PBDEs from all other compound classes, and provides a good separation of brominated and chlorinated analogue classes from each other. This column set was the most efficient one for within-class separation of OCPs and PCNs. Finally, DB-1 x VF-23ms yields excellent within-class separations, especially of non-aromatic compounds, viz. OCPs, toxaphene and PCAs. No group separation was observed here. The applicability of the approach was demonstrated for a sediment extract and a dust extract. In the sediment extract, PCDDs, PCDFs, PCAs and PCNs were identified and their efficient separation was achieved. In the dust sample, separation of PCAs and PBDEs was achieved and several new PBDE congeners were identified.