Simultaneous dual-column, dual-detector gas chromatographic determination of chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental samples

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Analytical Chemistry (Washington); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00216a025· OSTI ID:6410333

Durell, G S ^[1]; Sauer, T C ^[2]

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1. Battelle Ocean Sciences, Duxbury, MA (USA)
2. Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (USA)

The lack of confirmation of identified analytes in environmental gas chromatography (GC) that uses the traditional one-column, one-detector systems (e.g., GC-electron capture detection with a nonpolar column) often raises questions as to the validity of the data. To avoid misidentification of chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), the authors conducted simultaneous dual-column, dual-detector GC analysis. Within one GC instrument, injected sample extracts were split in two and each portion passed through a capillary column of different polarity. A traditional nonpolar column, DB-5, was connected to an electron capture detector for initial identification of analytes; a more polar column, DB-17, was used with the halogen-specific electrolytic conductivity detector for conformation analysis. GC column retention characteristics were determined for a large set of environmentally important pesticides and PCB congeners for the DB-5 and DB-17 analytical columns. The dual-column, dual-detector system was then evaluated on a large number of environmental samples of different matrix types. Results indicated that a substantial number of analytes, especially pesticides, may be incorrectly identified in environmental samples with one-column, one-detector systems. Use of a simultaneous dual-column, dual-detector system, substantially decreases the risk of false-positive identifications without significantly increasing the cost or time of analysis.

• OSTI ID: 6410333
• Journal Information: Analytical Chemistry (Washington); (USA), Journal Name: Analytical Chemistry (Washington); (USA) Vol. 62:17; ISSN ANCHA; ISSN 0003-2700
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540000 -- Environment-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TESTING
VALIDATION