GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY ATOMIC-EMISSION DETECTION (GC-AED) SET-UP FOR BIO-MONITORING OF PCBS AND METHYLSULFONYL-PCBS

Gas chromatography-atomic emission detection (GC-AED) has been evaluat ed in order to determine the optimal conditions for chlorine and sulfu r response of chlorinated biphenyls (CBs) and methylsulfonyl metabolit es of CBs (MeSO(2)-CBs). The influence of the shape of the capillary c olumn end facing the plasma, make-up gas flow, additional transfer lin e make-up gas flow and reagent gas flows on the detector response has been studied. Using an additional make-up gas flow applied through a t ransfer line capillary having a decreased outlet diameter yielded an i ncreased detector response with minimum detectable levels for sulfur a nd chlorine of 1.7 and 20 pg, respectively. Further, a substantial dec rease in peak tailing was achieved. The applicability of the method fo r analysis of biological materials is demonstrated by the determinatio n of the main CB congeners present in human blood and of MeS0(2)-CBs i n seal