Determination of formetanate hydrochloride in selected fruits by coupled-column cation exchange liquid chromatography.

A strong cation exchange (SCX) liquid chromatographic (LC) method is described for determination of formetanate hydrochloride residue in pome, citrus, and stone fruits. A test portion of fruit, homogenized with the peel left on, was blended with acidified acetonitrile and filtered. A portion of extract was finely filtered, and a 500 microL aliquot (ca 0.2 g test sample equivalent) was loaded onto an SCX solid-phase extraction (SPE) LC column, which replaced the injection loop of the LC injection valve. Cations were selectively enriched; noncations were eluted by acetonitrile in a pre-separation cleanup. Turning the valve to the inject position coupled the SPE column to an SCX analytical column for separation and detection at 250 nm. The mobile phase was 0.4M pH 3.0 ammonium phosphate buffer-water-acetonitrile (50 + 25 + 25). Formetanate cation was quantitated by peak area and regression coefficients from a 5-point linear calibration covering a 100-fold range. Recovery of duplicate fortifications of apple, pear, orange, and peach averaged 89-99% at the respective U.S. tolerances of 3, 3, 4, or 5 ppm and averaged 93-99% at one-tenth of the respective tolerance level. Peel pigments or variable peel bulk of crop varieties tested, as well as other endogenous fruit material, contributed interference that was below the 0.02 ppm limit of detection. In a 1991 limited survey comprising 15 samples, none were found violative. Residues were found in 2 samples, but only 1 measurement was quantifiable, near the 0.06 ppm limit of quantitation.

Picogram level quantitation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fish extracts by capillary gas chromatography/matrix isolation/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry.

For the first time, gas chromatography/matrix isolation/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (GC/MI/FTIR) has been reported to confirm the identity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2378-TCDD) and to quantify its level in fish extracts in the 170-220 pg range "on disk". When expressed on a fish tissue basis, analyte levels ranged from 15 to 45 pg/g. Spectroscopic identification was based on the position and relative intensity of seven absorption bands. Optical alignment as well as performance evaluation and optimization of the GC/MI/FTIR system are described. The use of [13C12]2378-TCDD as an internal standard was essential for quantitation, and quality assurance controls were used to verify system performance. GC/MI/FTIR quantitation of 2378-TCDD was compared with that independently found by GC with electron capture detection. Recovery of 2378-TCDD averaged 52% (n = 8, 30% relative standard deviation) for fish extracts.

Determination of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fish, using electron capture gas chromatography with confirmation by mass spectrometry: interlaboratory study.

An interlaboratory study of the determination of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) in fish was conducted by 6 analysts in 4 laboratories using high resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection (HRGC-EC) for quantitative screening analysis. Samples consisted of 3 Great Lakes channel catfish homogenates containing different levels of bioincurred 2,3,7,8-TCDD; 1 of these was prepared in duplicate and another was prepared both with and without standard 2,3,7,8-TCDD fortification for a total of 5 samples per set. All methods used included addition of 1,3,7,8-TCDD surrogate (to correct for procedural losses) followed by ethanolic KOH digestion and hexane extraction. Certain cleanup steps used, including sulfuric acid washing and multidimensional column liquid chromatographic procedures, varied among laboratories. Mean HRGC-EC results for the bioincurred residues were 56.6, 25.2, and 7.7 pg/g (ppt) with corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 9.1, 18.6, and 53.2%. Average determination of standard 2,3,7,8-TCDD from the fortified sample (corrected for surrogate recoveries averaging 74.6%) was 106% of the added amount (30.9 pg/g) with 11.0% RSD. HRGC-multiple ion detection mass spectrometry (MS), monitoring 12 ions, was used for confirmation. With the exception of several results from 1 analyst, HRGC-MS and HRGC-EC quantitations were in good agreement. All but 1 result reported met all of the MS identity criteria.

Surrogate-assisted determination of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fish by electron capture capillary gas chromatography.

Surrogate spiking the sample with 1000 parts per trillion (pptr) 1,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1378-TCDD) has doubled analytical throughput in determining toxic 2378-TCDD (analyte) at the low part-per-trillion level in fish, using multicolumn high resolution liquid chromatographic cleanup before quantitation by capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The 1378- and 2378-TCDD were recovered equally and were well separated by the capillary column so that the earlier-eluting surrogate did not interfere with the quantitation of levels of analyte many-fold lower. Matrix interference contributed less than 1% bias in surrogate quantitation. Using surrogate recovery to correct for analyte losses during analysis, accuracy averaged (n = 7) 105% in determining 18 or 45 pptr 2378-TCDD added to fish without detectable bioincurred analyte. Analyses of selected fish with bioincurred 2378-TCDD gave results comparable to earlier work where recovery correction required a second analysis of sample fortified with analyte. With surrogate fortification, repeatability of determination (n = 3 or 4) improved markedly to less than 5% relative standard deviation at 37-46 pptr.