Ultra-trace Level GC/MS/MS Analysis of Organochlorine Pesticides Using a Large Volume Injection With a Temperature Programmed Inlet

New Organic Monitoring Techniques
Oral Presentation

Prepared by A. Willey
Agilent Technologies, 2850 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE, 19808, United States


Contact Information: [email protected]; 302-636-8295

ABSTRACT

Historically organochlorine pesticides have been analyzed using electron capture detection (GC/ECD) or a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Various column options and GC parameters have been evaluated and optimized to improve analysis performance. This presentation will discuss GC/MS/MS analysis with large volume injection (LVI) to further improve the limits of detection and reach down to PPT levels (ng/L). The method uses a temperature-programmed injection starting with a low temperature of 60 degrees Celsius at time of injection to avoid the breakdown of temperature sensitive compounds like Endrin and DDT. Using the Triple Quadrupole GC/MS system in dynamic MRM data acquisition mode (dMRM) allows for achieving the run time of under 18 minutes, which is about a half of traditional methods used for organochlorine pesticides. All the evaluated compounds were accurately quantitated over a concentration range from low PPT up to 50ppb, while maintaining calibration linearity.