Fully automated trace level determination of parent and alkylated PAHs in environmental waters by online SPE-LC-APPI-MS/MS

Assessment of bacterial biotransformation of alkylnaphthalene lubricating base oil component 1-butylnaphthalene by LC/ESI-MS(/MS)

Alkylnaphthalene lubricating oils are synthetic Group V base oils that are utilized in wide-ranging industrial applications and which are composed of polyalkyl chain-alkylated naphthalenes. Identification of alkylnaphthalene biotransformation products and determination of their mass spectrometry (MS) fragmentation signatures provides valuable information for predicting their environmental fates and for development of analytical methods to monitor their biodegradation. In this work, laboratory-based environmental petroleomics was applied to investigate the catabolism of the alkylnaphthalene, 1-butylnaphthalene (1-BN), by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization MS data mapping and targeted collision-induced dissociation (CID) analyses. Comparative mapping revealed that numerous catabolites were produced from soil bacterium, Sphingobium barthaii KK22. Targeted CID showed unique patterns of production of even-valued deprotonated fragments that were found to originate from specific classes of bacterial catabolites. Based upon results of CID analyses of catabolites and authentic standards, MS signatures were proposed to occur through formation of distonic radical anions from bacterially-produced alkylphenol biotransformation products. Finally, spectra interpretation was guided by CID results to propose chemical structures for twenty-two 1-BN catabolites resulting in construction of 1-BN biotransformation pathways. Multiple pathways were identified that included aromatic ring-opening, alkyl chain-shortening and production of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes from alkylated phenols. Until now, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes have not been a class of compounds much reported from alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (APAH) and PAH biotransformation. This work provides a new understanding of alkylnaphthalene biotransformation and proposes MS markers applicable to monitoring APAH biotransformation in the form of alkylated phenols, and by extension, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, and toxic potential during spilled oil biodegradation.

Distribution, source, risk and phytoremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in typical urban landscape waters recharged by reclaimed water

A park that had used reclaimed water as the sole water supply for fourteen years, was selected to analyze the distribution, sources and risks of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waters and sediments. The effects of phytoremediation were investigated in waterbodies classified as phytoremediation, transitional and non-phytoremediation areas. Diagnostic ratio (DR) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the sources of PAHs, while risk quotient (RQ) was used as risk assessment tool. Results showed that ∑PAH concentrations in sediments ranged from 29.4 to 1245.6 ng‧g^-1, with average of 354.3 ng‧g^-1, corresponding to a moderate pollution level. The concentration of PAHs in water ranged from 10.6 to 326.3 ng‧L^-1, with average of 147.2 ng‧L^-1, corresponding to a low pollution level. The ∑PAHs in sediments showed a downward trend from northwest to southeast along with the water flow direction, with average values of 459.5, 362.9 and 246.1 ng‧L^-1 in the upstream, midstream and downstream, respectively. In contrast, PAH concentrations in water were consistent with recreational activities in the urban park area. There were 95% of water samples and 72% of sediment samples obtaining the Ant/(Ant + Phe) > 0.1 and Flu/(Flu + Pyr) > 0.5, indicating that coal combustion was the major source of PAHs in both the water and sediment. The RQ_∑PAH(NCs) values in water and sediment were all between 1 and 800, while RQ_∑PAH(MPCs) reached equal to 0, suggesting that ∑PAHs presented a low ecological risk. Acenaphthene accounted for 28.4% of RQ_(NCs), and became the most risk PAH in water column. Aquatic plants effectively removed high-ring PAHs from water and middle-ring PAHs from sediments, reducing the overall risks posed by PAHs.

Water quality assessment of east Tiaoxi River, China, based on a comprehensive water quality index model and Monte-Carlo simulation

The comprehensive water quality index (CWQI) reflects the comprehensive pollution status of rivers through mathematical statistics of several water quality indicators. Using computational mathematical simulations, high-confidence CWQI predictions can be obtained based on limited water quality monitoring samples. At present, most of the CWQI reported in the literature are based on conventional indicators such as nitrogen and phosphorus levels, and do not include the petroleum hydrocarbons levels. This article takes a typical river in eastern China as an example, based on the 1-year monitoring at 20 sampling sets, a CWQI containing five factors, TN, NH₄⁺-N, TP, ∑n-Alks, and ∑PAHs was established, and further predicted by a Monte-Carlo model. The predicted CWQI for each monitoring section is above 0.7, indicating that most of the monitoring sections are moderately polluted, and some sections are seriously polluted. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient analysis results show that TN, ∑PAHs, and ∑n-Alks are the main factors influencing the water quality, especially the petroleum hydrocarbons have a significant impact on the middle and lower reaches due to shipping. In the future, more attention should be paid to petroleum hydrocarbon organic pollutants in the water quality evaluation of similar rivers.

Comprehensive Screening of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Similar Compounds Using GC-APLI-TIMS-TOFMS/GC-EI-MS

In the present work, a novel workflow based on complementary gas-phase separations for the identification of isomeric PAHs from complex mixtures is described. This is the first report on the coupling of gas chromatography (GC), atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI), and trapped ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (TIMS-MS) for the characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Over a hundred known unknowns are uniquely identified based on the molecular ion retention indices I (5%), mobility (RSD < 0.6% and R = 50-90 with S_r = 0.18 V/ms), mobility-based theoretical candidate assignment (<3%), accurate mass chemical formula assignment (<2 ppm), and electron impact fragmentation pattern and database search. The advantages of theoretical modeling of PAHs and similar compounds were evaluated using candidate structures ranked by retention indices and fragmentation pattern from GC-EI-MS data sets. Over 20 PAH isomeric and deuterated standards were utilized for the GC-APLI-TIMS-TOF MS workflow validation. Noteworthy is the analytical capability for untargeted screening of isomeric and isobaric compounds with additional characterization metrics not available in traditional GC-EI-MSⁿ workflows.

Direct mass spectrometric analysis of naphthenic acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in waters impacted by diluted bitumen and conventional crude oil

Crude oil spills have well-documented, deleterious impacts on the hydrosphere. In addition to macroscopic effects on wildlife and waterscapes, several classes of petroleum derived compounds, such as naphthenic acids (NAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), may be released into the water and present aquatic contamination hazards. The concentrations of these contaminants may be affected by both oil type and water chemistry. We characterize the concentrations of NAs and PAHs in natural and constructed waters, spanning a range of pH and salinity, and directly compare the influence of diluted bitumen (DB) and conventional crude (CC) oil, using condensed-phase membrane introduction mass spectrometry (CP-MIMS) as a direct sampling, on-line technique. The concentration and isomer class profiles of classical NAs in the aqueous phase were assessed using electrospray ionization in negative-ion mode as [M-H]^- whereas PAH concentrations were monitored using liquid electron ionization (LEI) in positive-ion mode as [M^+•]. NA concentrations (0.03-25 ppm) were highly pH-dependent, and an order of magnitude greater in water samples contaminated with DB than CC. Conversely, concentrations of naphthalene (10-130 ppb) and alkyl-naphthalenes (10-90 ppb) were three to four-fold higher in water samples exposed to CC. We demonstrate that naturally occurring dissolved organic matter does not bias results from the membrane sampling approach employed, and that DB and CC contaminated waters can be differentiated using principal component analysis of the NA isomer class distribution in both constructed and natural waters. Finally, we describe the first demonstration of the concurrent analysis of trace NAs and PAHs in the same water sample by controlling perm-selectivity at the membrane and the ionization mode of the mass spectrometer. The techniques employed here for trace analysis of petroleum derived compounds in water can be applied to rapid screening and real-time monitoring of contamination and remediation processes.

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: A review of sampling techniques, strategies and instrumentation

A wide variety of sampling techniques and strategies are needed to analyze polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and interpret their distributions in various environmental media (i.e., air, water, snow, soils, sediments, peat and biological material). In this review, we provide a summary of commonly employed sampling methods and strategies, as well as a discussion of routine and innovative approaches used to quantify and characterize PACs in frequently targeted environmental samples, with specific examples and applications in Canadian investigations. The pros and cons of different analytical techniques, including gas chromatography - flame ionization detection (GC-FID), GC low-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-LRMS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet, fluorescence or MS detection, GC high-resolution MS (GC-HRMS) and compound-specific stable (δ¹³C, δ²H) and radiocarbon (Δ¹⁴C) isotope analysis are considered. Using as an example research carried out in Canada's Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), where alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur-containing dibenzothiophenes are frequently targeted, the need to move beyond the standard list of sixteen EPA priority PAHs and for adoption of an AOSR bitumen PAC reference standard are highlighted.

Automation of mass spectrometric detection of analytes and related workflows: A review

The developments in mass spectrometry (MS) in the past few decades reveal the power and versatility of this technology. MS methods are utilized in routine analyses as well as research activities involving a broad range of analytes (elements and molecules) and countless matrices. However, manual MS analysis is gradually becoming a thing of the past. In this article, the available MS automation strategies are critically evaluated. Automation of analytical workflows culminating with MS detection encompasses involvement of automated operations in any of the steps related to sample handling/treatment before MS detection, sample introduction, MS data acquisition, and MS data processing. Automated MS workflows help to overcome the intrinsic limitations of MS methodology regarding reproducibility, throughput, and the expertise required to operate MS instruments. Such workflows often comprise automated off-line and on-line steps such as sampling, extraction, derivatization, and separation. The most common instrumental tools include autosamplers, multi-axis robots, flow injection systems, and lab-on-a-chip. Prototyping customized automated MS systems is a way to introduce non-standard automated features to MS workflows. The review highlights the enabling role of automated MS procedures in various sectors of academic research and industry. Examples include applications of automated MS workflows in bioscience, environmental studies, and exploration of the outer space.

Phototoxicity Assessments of Field Sites in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA, and Heavily Weathered Macondo Crude Oil: 4 Years after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the release of large amounts of crude oil into waters of the Gulf of Mexico (USA). A significant portion of the oil reached coastal waters and shorelines where aquatic organisms reside. Four years after the spill, oil remains in small quantities along the coast. Given the high volume of oil coupled with the high ultraviolet light intensities of the Gulf of Mexico, continued polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phototoxicity may be occurring in the Gulf region. The objective of the present study was to determine the potential for phototoxicity at 5 field sites (oiled, remediated, and unoiled) in Barataria Bay (LA, USA) to caged mysid shrimp and sheepshead minnows and to evaluate the phototoxic potential of field-collected oil water accommodated fractions (WAFs). Water chemistries were similar between field-collected oil WAFs and ambient waters, excluding the most oiled field site. Field bioassays indicated no phototoxic risk of heavily weathered crude oil under the highly turbid conditions present during the study. Laboratory WAFs of field-collected oil resulted in phototoxicity to mysid shrimp, suggesting a potential for phototoxicity of heavily weathered crude oil remaining in the Gulf of Mexico. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1811-1819. © 2019 SETAC.

Interactive Effects of Mixtures of Phototoxic PAHs

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment as components in complex mixtures derived from petroleum based products. PAHs are unique in their ability to absorb UV light, resulting in significant increases in acute toxicity. The objective of this study was to determine if mixtures of the phototoxic PAHs fluoranthene, pyrene, and anthracene conform to the additive model of toxicity. Median lethal concentrations (LC50) were calculated for mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia) and inland silverside (Menidia beryllina) exposed to individual, binary, and ternary mixtures of the selected PAHs. Mixtures were evaluated on a toxic unit basis to account for potency differences and toxicity data was analyzed using the concentration-addition and independent-action models. Data indicated that the model of additivity is sufficient in describing the toxicity of mixtures of phototoxic PAHs; therefore predictive models should consider an additivity model for assessing the toxicity of hydrocarbon mixtures.

Comparative Analysis of Microcystin Prevalence in Michigan Lakes by Online Concentration LC/MS/MS and ELISA

Fast and reliable workflows are needed to quantitate microcystins (MCs), a ubiquitous class of hepatotoxic cyanotoxins, so that the impact of human and environmental exposure is assessed quickly and minimized. Our goal was to develop a high-throughput online concentration liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) workflow to quantitate the 12 commercially available MCs and nodularin in surface and drinking waters. The method run time was 8.5 min with detection limits in the low ng/L range and minimum reporting levels between 5 and 10 ng/L. This workflow was benchmarked by determining the prevalence of MCs and comparing the Adda-ELISA quantitation to our new workflow from 122 samples representing 31 waterbodies throughout Michigan. The frequency of MC occurrence was MC-LA > LR > RR > D-Asp³-LR > YR > HilR > WR > D-Asp³-RR > HtyR > LY = LW = LF, while MC-RR had the highest concentrations. MCs were detected in 33 samples and 13 of these samples had more than 20% of their total MC concentration from MCs not present in US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Method 544. Furthermore, seasonal deviations between the LC/MS/MS and Adda-ELISA data suggest Adda-ELISA cross-reacts with MC degradation products. This workflow provides less than 24-h turnaround for quantification and also identified key differences between LC/MS/MS and ELISA quantitation that should be investigated further.

Rapid monitoring of plant growth regulators in bean sprouts via automated on-line polymeric monolith solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

An automated on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) following liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was established for the fast determination of plant growth regulator residues in soybean sprout and mung bean sprout. The crude extracted specimens were directly purified on a poly (2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolithic column which was well-defined as the on-line SPE adsorbent. Under the optimized conditions, the developed method gave the linear range of 0.3-50 ng/mL for gibberellin and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 0.2-50 ng/mL for 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 0.5-50 ng/mL for 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (r ≥ 0.998). The detection limits (S/N = 3) ranged from 1.0 to 2.5 μg/kg and the recoveries for spiked soybean sprout samples were in the range of 75.0-93.3%. Besides, the total time for one analysis was 16 min. The reusability of the monolith was up to 600 extractions. The proposed process facilitated fully automated SPE and accurate determination in one step with rapidity, simplicity, and reliability. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Marine environment pollution: The contribution of mass spectrometry to the study of seawater

The study of marine pollution has been traditionally addressed to persistent chemicals, generally known as priority pollutants; a current trend in environmental analysis is a shift toward "emerging pollutants," defined as newly identified or previously unrecognized contaminants. The present review is focused on the peculiar contribution of mass spectrometry (MS) to the study of pollutants in the seawater compartment. The work is organized in five paragraphs where the most relevant groups of pollutants, both "classical" and "emerging," are presented and discussed, highlighting the relative data obtained by the means of different MS techniques. The hyphenation of MS and separative techniques, together with the development of different ion sources, makes MS and tandem MS the analytical tool of choice for the determination of trace organic contaminants in seawater. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:492-512, 2018.

In Situ Miniaturised Solid Phase Extraction (m-SPE) for Organic Pollutants in Seawater Samples

Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a consolidated technique for determining pollutants in seawater samples. The current tendency is to miniaturise systems that extract and determine pollutants in the environment, reducing the use of organic solvents, while maintaining the quality in the extraction and preconcentration. On the other hand, there is a need to develop new extraction systems that can be fitted to in situ continual monitoring buoys, especially for the marine environment. This work has developed a first model of a low-pressure micro-SPE (m-SPE) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that can be simply applied to in situ monitoring in the marine environment. This system reduces the volumes of sample and solvents required in the laboratory in comparison with conventional SPE. In the future, it could be used in automated or robotic systems in marine technologies such as marine gliders and oceanographic buoys. This system has been optimised and validated to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in seawater samples, but it could also be applied to other kinds of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and emerging pollutants.

Ionization of Gas-Phase Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Electrospray Ionization Coupled with Gas Chromatography

Herein, gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as nonpolar compounds were ionized to protonated molecular ions [M + H]⁺ without radical cations and simultaneously analyzed using gas chromatography (GC)/electrospray ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The ionization profile, dissociation, and sensitivity were first investigated to understand the significant behavior of gas-phase PAHs under ESI. The formation of protonated molecular ions of PAHs was distinguished according to the analyte phase and ESI spray solvents. The protonated PAHs exhibited characteristic dissociations, such as H-loss, H₂-loss, and acetylene-loss, via competition of internal energy. In addition, GC/ESI-MS/MS resulted in relatively lower concentration levels (better sensitivity) for the limits-of-detection (LODs) of PAHs than liquid chromatography (LC)/ESI-MS/MS, and it seems to result from the characteristic ionization mechanism of the gas-phase analyte under ESI. Furthermore, the LODs of gas-phase PAHs depended on molecular weight and proton affinity (PA). Consequently, we demonstrated the relationship among the analyte phases, sensitivities, and structural characteristics (molecular weight and PA) under ESI. The gas-phase PAHs provided enhanced protonation efficiency and sensitivity using GC/ESI-MS/MS, as their molecular weight and PA increased. Based on these results, we offered important information regarding the behavior of gas-phase analytes under ESI. Therefore, the present GC/ESI-MS/MS method has potential as an alternative method for simultaneous analysis of PAHs.

Phototoxic potential of undispersed and dispersed fresh and weathered Macondo crude oils to Gulf of Mexico Marine Organisms

Crude oils contain a mixture of hydrocarbons, including phototoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that have the ability to absorb ultraviolet (UV) light. Absorption of UV light by PAHs can substantially increase their toxicity to marine organisms. The objective of the present study was to examine the potential for phototoxicity of fresh and naturally weathered Macondo crude oils alone and in combination with the dispersant Corexit 9500 to mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia), inland silverside (Menidia beryllina), sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), and Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis). Acute toxicity tests were conducted using combinations of natural or artificial sunlight and low-energy water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of fresh and weathered Macondo crude oils collected from the Gulf of Mexico. Studies were also conducted to compare the phototoxicity resulting from natural and artificial sunlight. Fresh Macondo crude oil was more phototoxic than weathered crude oils, both in the presence and in the absence of UV light. Differences in toxicity between fresh and weathered crude oils were likely attributed to lighter-ringed PAHs in fresh crude oils. Phototoxic PAHs were relatively resistant to weathering compared with lighter-ringed PAHs. The addition of Corexit 9500 to crude oil increased toxicity compared with tests with crude oil alone, by increasing phototoxic PAH concentrations in WAFs. Macondo crude oils had the potential to be phototoxic to Gulf of Mexico marine organisms if specific light conditions and PAH concentrations were present during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2640-2650. © 2017 SETAC.

Evaluation of the phototoxicity of unsubstituted and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia): Validation of predictive models

Crude oils are composed of an assortment of hydrocarbons, some of which are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are of particular interest due to their narcotic and potential phototoxic effects. Several studies have examined the phototoxicity of individual PAHs and fresh and weathered crude oils, and several models have been developed to predict PAH toxicity. Fingerprint analyses of oils have shown that PAHs in crude oils are predominantly alkylated. However, current models for estimating PAH phototoxicity assume toxic equivalence between unsubstituted (i.e., parent) and alkyl-substituted compounds. This approach may be incorrect if substantial differences in toxic potency exist between unsubstituted and substituted PAHs. The objective of the present study was to examine the narcotic and photo-enhanced toxicity of commercially available unsubstituted and alkylated PAHs to mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia). Data were used to validate predictive models of phototoxicity based on the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gap approach and to develop relative effect potencies. Results demonstrated that photo-enhanced toxicity increased with increasing methylation and that phototoxic PAH potencies vary significantly among unsubstituted compounds. Overall, predictive models based on the HOMO-LUMO gap were relatively accurate in predicting phototoxicity for unsubstituted PAHs but are limited to qualitative assessments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2043-2049. © 2017 SETAC.

Analysis of Photoirradiated Water Accommodated Fractions of Crude Oils Using Tandem TIMS and FT-ICR MS

For the first time, trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) in tandem with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) is applied to the analysis of the low energy water accommodated fraction (WAF) of a crude oil as a function of the exposure to light. The TIMS-FT-ICR MS analysis provided, in addition to the heteroatom series identification, new insights into the WAF isomeric complexity (e.g., [m/z; chemical formula; collision cross section] data sets) for a better evaluation of the degree of chemical and structural photoinduced transformations. Inspection of the [m/z; chemical formula; collision cross section] data sets shows that the WAF composition changes as a function of the exposure to light in the first 115 h by initial photosolubilization of HC components and their photo-oxidation up to O_4-5 of mainly high double bond equivalence species (DBE > 9). The addition of high resolution TIMS (resolving power of 90-220) to ultrahigh resolution FT-ICR MS (resolving power over 400k) permitted the identification of a larger number of molecular components in a single analysis (e.g., over 47k using TIMS-MS compared to 12k by MS alone), with instances of over 6-fold increase in the number of molecular features per nominal mass due to the WAF isomeric complexity. This work represents a stepping stone toward a better understanding of the WAF components and highlights the need for better experimental and theoretical approaches to characterize the WAF structural diversity.

Recent developments in atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry

Recent developments in atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), which is one of the three most important ionization techniques in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, are reviewed. The emphasis is on the practical aspects of APPI analysis, its combination with different separation techniques, novel instrumental developments - especially in gas chromatography and ambient mass spectrometry - and the applications that have appeared in 2009-2014. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:423-449, 2017.

Photo-enhanced toxicity of two weathered Macondo crude oils to early life stages of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been reported to absorb ultraviolet (UV) light, resulting in enhanced toxicity. Early developmental stages of bivalves may be particularly susceptible to photo-enhanced toxicity during oil spills. In the current study, toxicity tests were conducted with sperm and three larval ages of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to evaluate the photo-enhanced toxicity of low-energy water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of two weathered Macondo crude oils collected from the Deepwater Horizon incident. Larvae exposed to oil WAFs under UV-filtered light demonstrated consistently higher survival and normal development than larvae exposed to WAFs under UV light. The phototoxicity of weathered Macondo oil increased as a function of increasing UV light intensity and dose. Early developing oyster larvae were the most sensitive to photo-enhanced toxicity, whereas later shelled prodissoconch larvae were insensitive. Comparisons between two weathered crude oils demonstrated that toxicity was dependent on phototoxic PAH concentration and UV light intensity.

Electrodeposition of self-assembled poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) @gold nanoparticles on stainless steel wires for the headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatographic determination of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

In this work, a novel poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@Au nanoparticles (PEDOT@AuNPs) hybrid coating was prepared and characterized. Firstly, the monomer 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene was self-assembled on AuNPs, and then electropolymerization was performed on a stainless steel wire by cyclic voltammetry. The obtained PEDOT@AuNPs coating was rough and showed cauliflower-like micro-structure with thickness of ∼40μm. It displayed high thermal stability (up to 330°C) and mechanical stability and could be used for at least 160 times of solid phase microextraction (SPME) without decrease of extraction performance. The coating exhibited high extraction capacity for some environmental pollutants (e.g. naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene and phenathrene) due to the hydrophobic interaction between the analytes and PEDOT and the additional physicochemical affinity between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and AuNPs. Through coupling with GC detection, good linearity (correlation coefficients higher than 0.9894), wide linear range (0.01-100μgL^-1), low limits of detection (2.5-25ngL^-1) were achieved for these analytes. The reproducibility (defined as RSD) was 1.1-4.0% and 5.8-9.9% for single fiber (n=5) and fiber-to-fiber (n=5), respectively. The SPME-GC method was successfully applied for the determination of three real samples, and the recoveries for standards added were 89.9-106% for lake water, 95.7-112% for rain water and 93.2-109% for soil saturated water, respectively.

Photo-enhanced toxicity of fluoranthene to Gulf of Mexico marine organisms at different larval ages and ultraviolet light intensities

Significant increases in toxicity have been observed as a result of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in aquatic organisms. Early life stage aquatic organisms are predicted to be more susceptible to PAH photo-enhanced toxicity as a result of their translucence and tendency to inhabit shallow littoral or surface waters. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity of varying ages of larval mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia), inland silverside (Menidia beryllina), sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), and Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) to photo-enhanced toxicity and to examine the correlation between photo-enhanced toxicity and organism pigmentation. Organisms were exposed to fluoranthene and artificial UV light at different larval ages and results were compared using median lethal concentrations (LC50s) and the lethal time-to-death (LT50s). In addition, a high UV light intensity, short-duration (4-h) experiment was conducted at approximately 24 W/m(2) of ultraviolet radiation A (UV-A) and compared with a low-intensity, long-duration (12-h) experiment at approximately 8 W/m(2) of UV-A. The results indicated decreased toxicity with increasing age for all larval organisms. The amount of organism pigmentation was correlated with observed LC50 and LT50 values. High-intensity short-duration exposure resulted in greater toxicity than low-intensity long-duration UV treatments for mysid shrimp, inland silverside, and sheepshead minnow. Data from these experiments suggest that toxicity is dependent on age, pigmentation, UV light intensity, and fluoranthene concentration.

Fast analysis of 29 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization-tandem mass spectrometry

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs are ubiquitous in the environment. Some of them are probable carcinogens and some are source markers. This work presents an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-APPI-MS/MS) method for simultaneous analysis of 20 PAHs and nine nitro-PAHs. These compounds are separated in 15 minutes in the positive mode and 11 minutes in the negative mode, one half of GC/MS analysis time. Two pairs of precursor/product ions are offered, which is essential for confirmation. This method separates and quantifies benzo[a]pyrene (the most toxic PAHs) and non-priority benzo[e]pyrene (isomers, little toxicity) to avoid overestimation of toxin levels, demonstrating its importance for health-related researches. With 0.5% 2,4-difluoroanisole in chlorobenzene as the dopant, limits of detection of PAHs except acenaphthylene and those of nitro-PAHs except 2-nitrofluoranthene are below 10 pg and 3 pg, respectively, mostly lower than or comparable to those reported using LC-related systems. The responses were linear over two orders of magnitude with fairly good accuracy and precision. Certified reference materials and real aerosol samples were analyzed to demonstrate its applicability. This fast, sensitive, and reliable method is the first UHPLC-APPI-MS/MS method capable of simultaneously analyzing 29 environmentally and toxicologically important PAHs and nitro-PAHs.

Analysis of drugs of abuse by online SPE-LC high resolution mass spectrometry: communal assessment of consumption

An online SPE-LC-HRMS method was developed to monitor the consumption of 18 drugs of abuse (DOAs) including amphetamines, opioids, cocainics, cannabinoids, lysergics, and their corresponding metabolites in a well characterized college campus setting via wastewater analysis. Filtered and diluted (10×) sewage water samples (5 mL inj.) were automatically pre-concentrated and analyzed in 15 min using a Thermo EQuan MAX online SPE system equipped with a HyperSep™ Retain PEP (20×2.1 mm×12 μm) SPE column and a Hypersil Gold™ aQ (150×2.1 mm×3 μm) analytical column. A Q Exactive™ Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap HRMS was used in full scan mode (R=140,000) for positive identification, and quantitation of target compounds. Method detection limits for all analytes ranged between 0.6 and 1.7 ng/L in sewage. A total of 14 DOAs were detected from two different locations (dorms and main college campus) within a one-year period. Most frequently detected drugs throughout the entire study were amphetamine (>96%) and THC's metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ-9-THC (>100%) with maximum concentrations of 5956 and 2413 ng/L respectively. Daily doses per 1000 people were determined in order to assess consumption of THC, amphetamine, heroin and cocaine, in both dorms and main campus.