Comparison of quantification methods for the analysis of polychlorinated alkanes using electron capture negative ionisation mass spectrometry

Abstract

Four quantification methods for short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) or polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs) using gas chromatography electron capture negative ionisation low resolution mass spectrometry (GC-ECNI-LRMS) were investigated. The method based on visual comparison of congener group patterns of external standards used for quantification and fish samples was very sensitive for the choice of the quantification standard. Two other methods used the existing relation of the response factors with the chlorine content of SCCP mixtures for quantification. Results from the three methods above deviated from nominal values less than 20%. This was ∼50% when individual PCA standards were applied for quantification of SCCPs. The deviation is probably caused by the fact that only C₁₀ carbon chain length standards with 5–9 chlorine atoms could be used. However, quantification using individual PCA standards is a promising method provided more standards will become commercially available. The clear advantage is that the standards are defined, which makes quantification comparable between different laboratories. Application of all four quantification methods to the analysis of four different fish samples gave results that agreed with the median values within ±40%.