ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CHEMICAL GROUPS BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY

The use of a moving-belt liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry interface for identifying selected members of various chemical classes has been investigated. Among the chemical groups examined with this system were benzidines, nitrosoamines, anilines, nitroaromatics, dinitroaromatics, hydrazines, amides, phenylenediamines, organophosphites, acrylates, pyridines, phthalates, nitrophenols, halogenated triazines, pesticides, halogenated pyridines, and alkyl tins. Selective ion monitoring was used for detection in all cases, in view of the lack of sensitivity in the full-scan mode. The lower limit of detection for the present technique is approximately 10 nanograms of compounds. Compounds of molecular weight exceeding 250 amu generally show a diminished response. Presumably, some lower-molecular-weight compounds within given groups exhibit similar behavior because of volatilization losses in the inlet.