Fast GC-TOF MS for Sensitivity and Efficiency Improvements in the Analysis of SVOCs

New Organic Monitoring Techniques
Poster Presentation

Presented by H. Calder
Prepared by L. McGregor1, A. Buchanan1, A. Parker1, N. Watson2
1 - SepSolve Analytical, 4 Swan Court, Peterborough, - USA State -, PE78GX, United Kingdom
2 - Markes International Inc, 2355 Gold Meadow Way, Sacramento, California, 95670, United States


Contact Information: [email protected]; 07841199705


ABSTRACT

The evaluation of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in environmental matrices poses many challenges for the analyst, not least the vast number that may be encountered in any given analysis.

In addition, analyte reactivity and the potential for multiple analytes to co-elute makes achieving the required method detection limits quickly and cost-effectively a formidable task – which is especially the case when using quadrupole mass spectrometry (qMS) in ‘scan’ mode.

One approach to improving detection limits is to use selected ion monitoring (SIM). However, even though SIM increases both sensitivity and selectivity, it tends to constrain how fast the analysis can be performed due to SIM window restrictions. These constraints affect a number of compounds encountered in targeted SVOC suites such as those in US EPA Method 8270, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). As a result, these compounds are generally analysed separately, reducing laboratory efficiency.

This study demonstrates improvements to the analysis of SVOCs using GC-TOF MS, for increased sensitivity, wide dynamic range and data-rich chromatograms containing high-quality, library-searchable spectra.