Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in biosolids using continuous ultrasound-assisted pressurized solvent extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An efficient continuous pressurized solvent extraction (PSE) method assisted by ultrasound energy was developed for the extraction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from biosolids. Analytes were determined in the extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. A screening-type experimental design pointing to dynamic extraction time as the only significant variable in the extraction process was carried out to optimize PCB extraction from the biosolids. Final selected conditions for PSE were extraction temperature, 50 °C; static extraction time, 0 min; and dynamic extraction time, 30 min. Recovery of the PSE method was 73%, which was significantly improved (103%) when PSE was assisted with 30-min ultrasound (US-PSE). Precision of the overall method, expressed as relative standard deviation, was 3.6% and the detection limit was 0.037 mg/kg. The method was applied to the determination of PCBs in biosolids from different water treatment plants from central Chile.