Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as additive flame retardants. Because they lack the ability to form chemical bonds, PBDEs can easily enter the sediment environment. The accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of PBDEs in sediments is of great importance for the accurate assessment of PBDE pollution in this environment. Sediments contain many impurities. Therefore, PBDEs in sediment should be purified before analysis to reduce the matrix effect. A method based on gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI/MS) was developed to determine 13 PBDEs in marine sediment samples using a column packed with deactivated silica gel, acidified silica gel, Florisil, and anhydrous sodium sulfate. Sediment samples were extracted by ultrasonication with a mixed solvent of n-hexane-dichloromethane (3∶1, v/v). After two cycles of ultrasonic extraction, the extract was purified by a composite chromatographic column and eluted with n-hexane-dichloromethane (3∶1, v/v). Thirteen PBDEs were determined by GC-NCI/MS in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The effects of different fillers, eluents, and elution volumes on the purification of PBDEs in the composite column were compared and analyzed, and the GC-NCI/MS analysis conditions were optimized. Three different packing columns were used to purify the sample extract. The first column was packed with 3 g of deactivated silica, 6 g of acidic silica, 3 g of deactivated silica, 3 g of Florisil, and 6 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate; the second column was packed with 3 g of Florisil, 3 g of deactivated silica, 6 g of acidic silica, 3 g of deactivated silica, and 6 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate; and the third column was packed with 3 g of deactivated silica, 6 g of acidified silica, 3 g of deactivated silica, and 6 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate. Among these columns, that packed with 3 g of deactivated silica, 6 g of acidic silica, 3 g of deactivated silica, 3 g of Florisil, and 6 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate showed the best purification effect. The 13 PBDEs showed good linearity in the mass concentration range of 0.1-20 μg/L with correlation coefficients (r2) greater than 0.995 (decabromodiphenyl oxide (BDE-209), r2>0.99). The limits of quantification (S/N=10) was 0.002-0.126 μg/kg. The average recoveries of the 13 PBDEs at three spiked levels of 0.2, 1.0, and 4.0 μg/kg were 85.3%-101.3%, 84.8%-113.6%, and 86.3%-94.7% with relative standard deviations of 4.4%-14.0%, 0.4%-4.9%, and 1.9%-6.6%, respectively. These findings indicate that the method has high sensitivity and accuracy as well as good precision. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis and detection of PBDEs in actual marine sediment samples. The results revealed that the sediment samples contained different contents of the 13 PBDEs, and high detection rates were obtained for lower-brominated PBDE homologs. The detection rate of bis(4-bromophenyl) ether (BDE-15) was 100%, and the detected content of BDE-209 was as high as 60.49 μg/kg. These results demonstrate that the developed method is suitable for the accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of PBDEs in marine sediment samples.
采用去活硅胶-酸化硅胶-去活硅胶-弗罗里硅土-无水硫酸钠填装的复合层析柱,结合气相色谱-负化学源质谱法(GC-NCI/MS)对海洋沉积物样品中的13种多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)进行分析检测。样品用正己烷-二氯甲烷(3∶1, v/v)混合溶剂进行超声提取,提取液经复合层析柱净化及正己烷-二氯甲烷(3∶1, v/v)混合溶剂洗脱后,利用GC-NCI/MS的选择离子监测(SIM)模式分析测定13种PBDEs。对比分析了复合层析柱中不同填料、不同洗脱剂以及不同洗脱体积对PBDEs净化效果的影响,并对GC-NCI/MS分析条件进行优化处理。最终13种PBDEs在0.1~20 μg/L内线性关系良好,相关系数(r2)>0.995(BED-209, r2>0.99),定量限(S/N=10)为0.002~0.126 μg/kg。以海洋沉积物样品为基质,13种PBDEs在0.2、1.0、4.0 μg/kg 3个加标水平下的平均回收率分别为85.3%~101.3%、84.8%~113.6%、86.3%~94.7%,相对标准偏差分别为4.4%~14.0%、0.4%~4.9%、1.9%~6.6%。结果表明,该方法的灵敏度和准确度高,精密度良好。应用本方法对所采集的海洋沉积物样品进行分析检测,结果显示13种PBDEs均有不同程度的检出,其中BDE-209含量较高,最高达60.49 μg/kg。实际样品检测结果表明本方法适用于海洋沉积物样品中PBDEs的准确定性定量分析。
Keywords: composite chromatography column purification; gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI/MS); polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); sediment.