METHYL SULFONYL POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS AND 2,2-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-1,1-DICHLORETHENE IN GRAY SEAL TISSUES DETERMINED BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH ELECTRON-CAPTURE DETECTION AND ATOMIC-EMISSION DETECTION

The presence of 24 methyl sulfonyl polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) cong eners (MeSO2-CBs) and 3-methyl sulfonyl 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-di chlorethene (DDE) (MeSO2-DDE), metabolites of PCB and DDE, in blubber lung, and liver of gray seals has been determined by using atomic emis sion detection (AED) and electron capture detection (ECD). Selective a ccumulation of aryl methyl sulfones in blubber, liver, and lung tissue was also investigated. For the liver samples, a substantial and highl y specific retention of PCB methyl sulfones was observed. The atomic e mission technique significantly improved the determination of measured solutes compared with ECD. Atomic emission detection was also valuabl e for the monitoring of the prefractionation and to decrease the requi rements of sample clean-up. Comparing both detection techniques showed a good correlation between the results of the AED sulfur-selective li ne and ECD.