A multi-residue method for the simultaneous analysis in indoor dust of several classes of semi-volatile organic compounds by pressurized liquid extraction and gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

• Simultaneous analysis of 55 SVOCs of health concern in indoor settled dust.
• Simple method based on pressurized liquid extraction and GC/MS/MS.
• Efficient method to quantify a wide range of SVOCs from 200 mg of dust.
• Suitable method for environmental monitoring programs or large-scale studies.

People are exposed to multiple pollutants, especially indoors, in particular through ingestion of indoor settled dust. In the perspective of a cumulative risk assessment, a multi-residue analytical method based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous analysis in indoor dust of several classes of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) of health concern, from trace to highly concentrated compounds, including musk fragrances, organochlorines (OCs), organophosphates (OPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybromodiphenylethers (PBDEs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), phthalates and pyrethroids. The method was validated in terms of limits of quantification (LOQ), and accuracy and precision via spiking experiments on an inert material (Celite® 545) and replicate analysis of the standard reference material SRM 2585 supplied by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Method LOQs for 200 mg samples of sieved dust were 26 ng g−1 for PCBs and some OCs, 65 ng g−1 for musks, OPs, PAHs, PBDEs, pyrethroids, other OCs and some phthalates, 132 ng g−1 for butylbenzylphthalate (BBP), 197 ng g−1 for tributylphosphate and 1579 ng g−1 for other phthalates. Quadratic calibration curves were established for each compound by analyzing at least five calibration solutions and exhibited determination coefficients higher than 0.999. The method was successfully applied to the SRM 2585 and seven real indoor dust samples. The results obtained on SRM 2585 demonstrate both excellent reproducibility and agreement with the indicative, reference or certified values and provide, for the first time, indicative concentrations for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, diisononylphthalate (DiNP) and tetramethrin. The results obtained on real dust samples illustrate the ability of the proposed method to quantify a wide range of SVOCs in a single analysis, making it appropriate for environmental monitoring programs or large-scale studies with a large number of samples.