Simultaneous dual-column, dual-detector gas chromatographic determination of chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental samples
- Battelle Ocean Sciences, Duxbury, MA (USA)
- 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), Vol. 62:17; ISSN 0003-2700
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
PESTICIDES
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
VALIDATION
AROMATICS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TESTING
400102* - Chemical & Spectral Procedures
540000 - Environment- (1990-)