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The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) Extraction Approach and Comprehensive Two - Dimensional Gas Chromatography of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Human Breast Milk
(Advances in Sample Preparation and Clean-up)
Oral Presentation
Prepared by C. Rattray1, J. Kowalski2, M. Misselwitz3, J. Cochran4
1 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
2 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
3 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
4 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
Contact Information: chris.rattray@restek.com; 814-353-1300
ABSTRACT
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of chemicals that include brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals can be distributed throughout the environment through soil, water, and air contamination and once in the environment do not readily break down. Due to the lipophilic nature of these components they accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals and bioaccumulate up the food chain. According to the World Health Organization human breast milk is an ideal matrix to monitor the levels of POPs in not only the mother and infant, but also as a key indicator of the levels of these chemicals in the local environment.
Current sample preparation for the analysis of POPs typically involves liquid-liquid or pressurized fluid extraction with extensive clean-up. These methods often include expensive equipment and/or large amounts of solvent usage. The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology was developed for the determination of multi-residue pesticides in fruits and vegetables. The low solvent consumption and multi-residue approach of QuEChERS may be an attractive sample preparation alternative for biomonitoring efforts for halogenated POPs in human breast milk.
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) with an electron capture detector (ECD) may offer a more cost-effective alternative than high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), due to the sensitivity of the ECD, coupled with the selectivity afforded by a multidimensional separation. Alternatively, GCxGC with a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) utilizes full mass acquisition for non-target analysis. Method performance was evaluated by analyzing a NIST standard reference material of human milk.
Oral Presentation
Prepared by C. Rattray1, J. Kowalski2, M. Misselwitz3, J. Cochran4
1 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
2 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
3 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
4 - Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA, 16823
Contact Information: chris.rattray@restek.com; 814-353-1300
ABSTRACT
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of chemicals that include brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals can be distributed throughout the environment through soil, water, and air contamination and once in the environment do not readily break down. Due to the lipophilic nature of these components they accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals and bioaccumulate up the food chain. According to the World Health Organization human breast milk is an ideal matrix to monitor the levels of POPs in not only the mother and infant, but also as a key indicator of the levels of these chemicals in the local environment.
Current sample preparation for the analysis of POPs typically involves liquid-liquid or pressurized fluid extraction with extensive clean-up. These methods often include expensive equipment and/or large amounts of solvent usage. The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology was developed for the determination of multi-residue pesticides in fruits and vegetables. The low solvent consumption and multi-residue approach of QuEChERS may be an attractive sample preparation alternative for biomonitoring efforts for halogenated POPs in human breast milk.
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) with an electron capture detector (ECD) may offer a more cost-effective alternative than high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), due to the sensitivity of the ECD, coupled with the selectivity afforded by a multidimensional separation. Alternatively, GCxGC with a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) utilizes full mass acquisition for non-target analysis. Method performance was evaluated by analyzing a NIST standard reference material of human milk.