Evaluating the performances of accelerated-solvent extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction for determining PCBs, HCHs and DDTs in sediments

Abstract

Three extraction techniques have been recently used for the quantitative extraction of semi-volatile organic pollutants in sediments, i.e. accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE). However, their extraction efficiencies have rarely been quantitatively compared using rigorous mathematical methods. In this paper, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to evaluate the performance of ASE, MAE and UAE in the overall extraction of PCBs, DDTs and HCHs by analysis of their recoveries from the Standard Reference Material IAEA-417, a sediment sample certified by many international laboratories. Conclusions were drawn at a significance level of P ≤ 0.05. No significant differences were found among the mean values for method recoveries using ASE, MAE and UAE. The mean values for real recoveries using ASE and MAE were nearly identical, but the real recovery using UAE was much lower. The concentrations of all PCBs, DDTs and HCHs except for CB52 and o,p′-DDT using UAE were the lowest. Comparing the results obtained using ASE with MAE, the concentrations of CB28, CB52, CB138, α-HCH, β-HCH, p,p′-DDE and p,p′-DDD were nearly identical, while the concentrations of other compounds were significantly different. Based on the low recoveries, it was concluded that UAE is a relatively inefficient extraction method, while ASE and MAE are equivalent methods. Taking into consideration the relative standard deviation (RSD) values, solvent volume, extraction time, and purchasing costs of the apparatus, MAE was considered superior to ASE for extraction of PCBs, DDTs and HCHs.