COMBINED SOLVENT-EXTRACTION MASS-SPECTROMETRY DETERMINATION OF FREE PHENOL TRACES IN POLY(VINYL CHLORIDE) PRODUCTS

A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique was used for the anal ysis of trace phenol in poly(vinyl chloride) products. A pre-concentra tion of samples was made by using a solid-phase extraction cartridge, previously developed for wastewater. The cartridge extraction of sever al samples yielded recoveries better than 90%. The relative standard d eviation of overall recoveries for ten different samples was less than 7%. The detection limit achieved was less than 10 ppb (w/w) for free phenol measured in plastic materials.