Characterization of the organic contamination pattern of a hyper-saline ecosystem by rapid screening using gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry

► High-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry is applied to an environmental contamination study. ► The methodology has been applied to the analysis of brines and micro-crustaceans. ► The methodology developed allows carrying out a rapid screening of all GC amenable organic contaminants. ► Several organic contaminants belonging to different chemical families have been detected and unequivocally identified. ► The vulnerability of hyper-saline ecosystems to contamination from different sources has been assessed.