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Multiple Reaction Monitoring for EPA Methods: Improving Data Quality and Workflow in the Environmental Laboratory
Oral Presentation
Prepared by E. George, J. Edwards
Bruker Daltonics, Inc., 3500 West Warren Avenue, Fremont, CA, 94538
Contact Information: ed.george@bruker.com; 510-683-4315
ABSTRACT
Laboratories are constantly challenged with the requirement of rapid turn-around-time from sample-to-report, while at the same time reduce cost and generate high quality legally defensible data. Current regulatory EPA semi-volatile organic methods specify gas chromatography with selective detectors or single quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as 'determinative techniques.' Many of these methods lack the specificity needed to detect target compounds in complex matrices and require experienced analysts to interpret results. An example of the problem cited in Method 8081B, a GC/ECD method, Section 4.2: "Interferences co-extracted from the samples will vary considerably from waste to waste. While general cleanup techniques are referenced or provided as part of this method, unique samples may require additional cleanup approaches to achieve desired degrees of discrimination and quantitation."
GC/MS/MS techniques have excellent sensitivity and selectivity and can be applied to many EPA methods to overcome these issues. Moreover, advances in instrumentation have made it easy for analysts to set up complex MRM methods and to reliably integrate and quantitate large sample sets.
Examples of the application of GC/MS/MS to various EPA methods will be presented in terms of calibration, precision, accuracy, and method detection limits (MDLs). A unique set of software tools, known as Compound Based Scanning (CBS) and Exception Based Data Review (EBDR) will clearly demonstrate easy set-up of the MRM acquisition parameters of the method, followed by advanced automated peak integration which greatly reduce the need for extensive analyst interaction with the final processed data.
Oral Presentation
Prepared by E. George, J. Edwards
Bruker Daltonics, Inc., 3500 West Warren Avenue, Fremont, CA, 94538
Contact Information: ed.george@bruker.com; 510-683-4315
ABSTRACT
Laboratories are constantly challenged with the requirement of rapid turn-around-time from sample-to-report, while at the same time reduce cost and generate high quality legally defensible data. Current regulatory EPA semi-volatile organic methods specify gas chromatography with selective detectors or single quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as 'determinative techniques.' Many of these methods lack the specificity needed to detect target compounds in complex matrices and require experienced analysts to interpret results. An example of the problem cited in Method 8081B, a GC/ECD method, Section 4.2: "Interferences co-extracted from the samples will vary considerably from waste to waste. While general cleanup techniques are referenced or provided as part of this method, unique samples may require additional cleanup approaches to achieve desired degrees of discrimination and quantitation."
GC/MS/MS techniques have excellent sensitivity and selectivity and can be applied to many EPA methods to overcome these issues. Moreover, advances in instrumentation have made it easy for analysts to set up complex MRM methods and to reliably integrate and quantitate large sample sets.
Examples of the application of GC/MS/MS to various EPA methods will be presented in terms of calibration, precision, accuracy, and method detection limits (MDLs). A unique set of software tools, known as Compound Based Scanning (CBS) and Exception Based Data Review (EBDR) will clearly demonstrate easy set-up of the MRM acquisition parameters of the method, followed by advanced automated peak integration which greatly reduce the need for extensive analyst interaction with the final processed data.