Nitro musks, nitro musk amino metabolites and polycyclic musks in sewage sludges - Quantitative determination by HRGC-ion-trap-MS/MS and mass spectral characterization of the amino metabolites

Nitro- and polycyclic musks were quantified in sewage sludge samples from d ifferent catchment areas using high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) an d ion-trap MS/MS. Collision induced dissociation (CID) turned out to be a u seful tool for quantification of the analytes. Negative chemical ionization (NCI) quadrupole MS in the selected ion mode (SIM) showed similar sensitiv ities compared to ion trap MS/MS. Among the nitro musks, musk ketone (MK) a nd musk xylene (MX) were the main compounds in predominantly domestic sewag e sludges, found at low mu g/kg dry matter (d.m.) whereas polycyclic musks were present in domestic as well as in industrial sludges up to 12 mg/kg d. m. Galaxolide (HHCB) and Tonalide (AHTN) were the major polycyclic musks fo und in the sludges. Amino metabolites of the nitro musks, amino musk xylene (AMA), amino musk moskene (AMM) and amino musk ketone (AMK) were detected for the first time in sewage sludges, and reached partly higher concentrati ons compared to the parent compounds. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.