GC-MS/MS analysis for source identification of emerging POPs in PM2.5

Yi Jie Chen, Yanhao Zhang, Yanyan Chen, Yan Lu, Ruijin Li, Chuan Dong, Zenghua Qi, Guoguang Liu, Zhi Feng Chen*, Zongwei CAI*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Emerging POPs have received increasing attention due to their potential persistence and toxicity, but thus far the report regarding the occurrence and distribution of these POPs in PM2.5 is limited. In this study, an extremely sensitive and reliable method, using ultrasonic solvent extraction and silica gel purification followed by gas chromatography coupled with electron ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, was developed and used for the trace analysis of hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), pentachloroanisole (PCA) and its analogs chlorobenzenes (CBs) in PM2.5 from Taiyuan within a whole year. The limits of detection and limits of quantitation of analytes were 1.14 × 10 4‒2.74 × 10 4 pg m−3 and 3.80 × 10 4‒9.14 × 10 4 pg m−3. HCBD and PCA were detected at the mean concentrations of 3.69 and 1.84 pg m−3 in PM2.5, which is reported for the first time. Based on the results of statistical analysis, HCBD may come from the unintentional emission of manufacture or incineration of chlorinate-contained products but not coal combustion, while O3-induced photoreaction was the potential source of PCA in PM2.5. The temporal distributions of CBs in PM2.5 were closely related to coal-driven or agricultural activities. Accordingly, our study reveals the contamination profiles of emerging POPs in PM2.5 from Taiyuan.

Original languageEnglish
Article number110368
JournalEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Volume193
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2020

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

User-Defined Keywords

  • Chlorobenzene
  • Contamination profile
  • GC-MS
  • Hexachlorobutadiene
  • Pentachloroanisole
  • PM

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