Simple device for the solid-phase microextraction screening of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans in heavily contaminated soil samples

Anew headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) system was designed with a cooling device on the upper part of the sample vial and a heating and ultrasonic activating device for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in soil samples. A 100 mum polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber was applied to the analysis of all the chloro congeners. In order to improve the extraction efficiency, the soil sample was heated and ultrasonically activated and the fiber coating was cooled by chilled alcohol during the extraction procedure. Gas chromatography/ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) was then used for the determination of PCDDs/PCDFs with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). C-13(12)-labelled PCDDs/PCDFs were used as an internal standard to calibrate the data by calculation of relative response factor (RRF). The detection limits were in the range 2.2-77.2 ng g(-1), and the RSDs (%) were less than 15.8% (concentrations in the range 50-250 ng g(-1), n = 7). The solid-phase microextraction method developed was shown to be a fast, efficient and economical technique for the rapid screening of PCDDs/PCDFs in soil samples. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.