CAPILLARY COLUMN GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC TANDEM MASS-SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PHOSPHATE-ESTERS IN THE PRESENCE OF INTERFERING HYDROCARBONS

Daughter, parent and constant neutral loss spectra, and multiple reaction ion monitoring data were all evaluated for the detection and confirmation of phosphate esters during capillary column GC-MS-MS analysis with a hybrid tandem mass spectrometer. Constant neutral loss and parent modes involve scanning of the sector, thus reducing the benefits of higher sector resolution, while daughter and multiple reaction ion monitoring data may be acquired with higher sector resolution. The benefit of higher sector resolution was demonstrated for the detection and confirmation of phosphate esters in the presence of diesel exhaust extract components at levels several orders of magnitude above that of the phosphate esters. Detection limits for daughter operation were approximately the same as those obtained during capillary column CC-MS analysis of standards under electron impact ionization, and S/N ratios in excess of 100:1 were observed during multiple reaction ion monitoring of the diesel exhaust extract spiked at the 200 pg level with phosphate esters.