Fast analysis of decabrominated diphenyl ether using low-pressure gas chromatography–electron-capture negative ionization mass spectrometry

This paper reports the applicability of low-pressure gas chromatography–mass spectrometry operated in electron-capture negative ionization mode (LP-GC–ECNI-MS) for the analysis of decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209). Particular attention was paid to find optimal injector and oven conditions for minimal thermal degradation of BDE-209. The analytical characteristics were compared for LP-GC columns (10 m × 0.53 mm) with different film thicknesses (df 0.15 μm versus 0.25 μm) and for a conventional GC column (15 m × 0.25 mm, 0.10 μm df). Short residence times (6.5 and 9.8 min) of BDE-209 were found for the LP-GC systems with 0.15 and 0.25 μm df, respectively, resulting in a low elution temperature and minimal degradation. Additionally, baseline separation of 22 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners (major components of PBDE technical mixtures) was possible in less than 12 min using the LP-GC–ECNI-MS system with 0.15 μm df. The optimized method was applied for the determination of PBDEs in Belgian indoor dust samples. The obtained concentrations of BDE-209 (range 8–292 ng/g dry weight) were in the same range or lower than concentrations in dust from other European countries.