Preparation and evaluation of OV‐240‐OH coated glass capillary columns for isomer specific determination of PCDDs and PCDFs

Abstract

AbstractGlass capillaries were leached, dehydrated, persilylated with 1, 3‐bis (3‐cyanopropyl) tetramethyldisiloxane, and coated with OV‐240‐OH. After crosslinking and binding the phase to the glass surface the columns showed high separation efficiency, high temperature stability, and inertness comparable to persilylated apolar columns. Column performance is shown to be superior to liquid phase cyanopropyl columns such as SP 2330. The excellent separation capabilities together with the selectivity of the phase makes OV‐240‐OH coated columns a valuable tool for the determination of toxic isomers in complex mixtures of polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The order of elution of individual TCDD isomers was found to be similar to that described for SP 2330 or Silar 10c. The detection of PCDDs and PCDFs in a fly ash extract further illustrates the utility of OV‐240‐OH coated columns. The high temperature limit of these columns opens the way for the analysis of high boiling compounds such as mixed brominated/chlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans.