GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC AND MASS-SPECTROMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF TETRACHLOROALKANOIC AND DICHLOROALKENOIC ACIDS IN EEL LIPIDS

Chlorinated fatty acid methyl esters, transesterified from the lipids of eel (Anguilla anguilla; obtained from the receiving waters of a chl orine bleaching pulp mill), were studied by gas chromatography (GC) us ing electrolytic conductivity detection and mass spectrometry (:MS) wi th electron impact and ammonia positive-ion chemical ionization. GC re tention indices and column difference values in combination with GC/MS demonstrated the presence of isomers of methyl dichlorotetradecenoate , methyl dichlorohexadecenoate, methyl dichlorooctadecenoate and methy l tetrachlorotetradecanoate. Isomers of methyl threo, threo-tetrachlor ooctadecanoate were identified by coinjection of the eel sample and sy nthesized reference compounds. The results were confirmed by ammonia p ositive-ion chemical ionization high-resolution selective-ion monitori ng of the ammonium adduct molecular ions.