In-membrane preconcentration/membrane inlet mass spectrometry of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds.

Abstract

The on-line determination of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) is reported using membrane inlet mass spectrometry with in-membrane preconcentration (IMP-MIMS). Semivolatile organic compounds in aqueous samples are preconcentrated in a flow-through silicone hollow-fiber membrane inlet held in a GC oven. The sample stream is replaced with air, and the SVOCs are thermally desorbed into the mass spectrometer by rapid heating of the membrane. The method is evaluated for the on-line determination of 4-fluorobenzoic acid, 3,5-difluorobenzoic acid, 2-chlorophenol, p-tert-butylphenol, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in water. The selectivity of the IMP-MIMS technique for SVOCs in the presence of VOCs is demonstrated. Cryotrapping and a rapid gas chromatographic separation step were added between the membrane and the mass spectrometer ion source for the determination of SVOCs in complex mixtures. The procedure is demonstrated for the determination of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in equine urine, using internal standardization with DMSO-d6. Full-scan electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometric detection showed good linearity (R = 0.998) and RSDs, relative to the internal standard, of 2.2% for desorption only and 4.6% for desorption and cryotrapping.