Evaluation of Automated Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction-Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography Electron Capture Negative Ion Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of PBDEs and PBBs in Sheep and Human Serum

Abstract

Stir-bar sorptive extraction and automated thermal desorption/cryotrapping interfaced to capillary gas chromatography and electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry is shown to effectively isolate and recover polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls from sheep and human serum. This paper describes the development of the method and demonstrates the feasibility of using Twister with spiked serum. Conditions for conducting stir-bar sorptive extraction and for automated thermal desorption that led to acceptable analyte recoveries were optimized. The approach to sample preparation introduced here significantly reduces tedious labor and solvent consumption associated with conventional liquid-liquid extraction.