Development of a new automated clean-up system for the simultaneous analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and ‘dioxin-like’ polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) in flue gas emissions by GPC-SPE

Abstract

A comprehensive clean-up method for quantitative analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) in one single extract of environmental samples was developed. Since the chemical nature and toxicity of planar PCBs are similar to those of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs and PCDD/Fs are often surveyed together in their exposure assessments. The development of a method for the simultaneous analysis of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in environmental samples is invaluable. The automated clean-up system evaluated in this work consists of three additional steps after traditional extraction: the chromatography on gel permeation (GPC), the concentration of the solvent through the use of an in-line evaporation module and the further purification and separation of PCDDs/Fs and dl-PCBs on an alumina cartridge in the ‘SPE module’. In this work, three fly ash samples from an interlaboratory study with different PCDD/F and PCB levels were Soxhlet-extracted and then cleaned up using an automated system. PCDD/Fs and PCBs were determined using isotope dilution and high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry. The determined values of 17 PCDD/Fs were consistent with the certified values and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the determined values were less than 20%. The recoveries of ¹³C labeled PCDD/Fs and planar PCBs, and their RSDs were within the ranges specified in EPA1613 and 1668a methods, respectively. An accurate and reliable method was successfully developed and can be used in the simultaneous analysis of PCDD/Fs and planar PCBs in environmental samples.