New approach to the fast screening of plant oil samples for F-, Cl-, Br- and S-organic compounds on the trace level

•High sensitive determination of the anions in the deionised water.•High sensitive method of plant oil screening for halogen and S-organic compounds.•Method detection limits were 20–50 p.p.b. (sample – 1 mg).•Fast screening of plant oil samples for halogen and S-organic compounds.

The fast method of the simultaneous determination of F−, Cl−, Br− and SO42− anions in the deionized water on the trace level by ion chromatography using thorough cleaning of respective water containers, 10 μM NaHCO3 water solution as eluent, short Metrohm (50×4 mm) separation column and a large water volume injection is proposed. Calculated detection limits are 10−9–10−8% depending on the element.The method for the fast screening of plant oil samples for the total fluorine-, chlorine-, bromine- and sulfur-organic compounds content (calculated for the respective elements) on the trace level is developed.It is based on the high temperature combustion of oil sample in oxygen flow, absoption of the conversion products in deionized water and whole absorbate volume analysis for F−, Cl−, Br− and SO42− anions, corresponding to the respective elements, using the developed method of these anions analysis by ion chromatography.The samples of soya, olive, sunflower and cotton seed oil were analyzed. The method detection limits (for 1 mg sample) were 2×10−6%, 2×10−6%, 5×10−6% and 5×10−6% for fluorine, chlorine, bromine and sulfur, respectively. The relative standard deviation was≤15%. The method gives the compressed information about the total content of all target and nontarget fluorine-, chlorine-, bromine- and sulfur-organic compounds in plant oils.

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