EXPERIENCES WITH MASS PEAK PROFILE MONITORING IN DIOXIN ANALYSIS BY HRGC HRMS-SIM

Dioxin analysis is a demanding analysis that requires high sensitivity , high selectivity and high specificity. Currently, the analytical met hod of choice is HRGC/HRMS using the peak top method [PT] after extens ive column clean-up. An alternative that has been proposed1,2 is to us e mass peak profile [MP], in which a sweep is performed over each ion detected, rather than monitoring the peak top. Using this MP method in terferences seen with the standard PT method in the responses of nativ e PeCDDs in a dirty fly ash sample, native TeCDDs in a dirty flue gas sample, and C-13(12)-TeCDF in a dirty flue gas and fish samples, were investigated. The method enabled the responses for the interferences t o be distinguished from those due to the target compounds, and also en abled tentative identifications of the interfering species.