Publication Abstract

Method for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyethers in sediment and biota

J. De Boer, C.R. Allchin, R.J. Law, B. Zegers and J.P. Boon

Three institutes worked together on the development and improvement of a method for the analysis of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). The method developed consists of a Soxhlet or ultra turrax extraction including hexane (or pentane)/acetone mixtures, clean-up over alumina columns or by gel permeation chromatography. The method developed consists of a Soxhlet or ultra-turrax extraction using hexane (or pentane)/acetone solvent mixtures, clean-up over alumina columns or by gel permeation chromatography, further clean-up by sulphuric acid treatment and fractionation over silica gel columns. The final determination is preferably performed by GC/NCI-MS. The coefficients of variation obtained with this method are between 10 and 35% for individual congeners, and comply at least with the international state-of-the-art for this type of analysis.

Reference:

J. De Boer, C.R. Allchin, R.J. Law, B. Zegers and J.P. Boon (2001) Method for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyethers in sediment and biota. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 20: 591-599