Quality assurance/quality control for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters in soils using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

A method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) in soil samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed. After extracted by accelerated solvent extraction or ultrasonic extraction by dichloromethane-hexane ( l: 1, v/v) and dichloromethane-acetone ( l: 1, v/v), respectively; the extracts were cleaned up by solid phase extraction and/or gel permeation chromatography. Quality control and quality assurance procedures were carried out with the methods of whole procedure blank; blank spike recovery; clean soil matrix spike recovry; and the comparison with reference materials. The method detection limits were 0. 13 - 2. 2 μg/kg and 0. 19 -0. 52 μg/kg and the average recoveries were 41. 5% - 116. 9% 90. 7% - 107. 1% for the PAHs and the PAEs; respectively. The results showed that the method can meet the technical requirements on the soil sample test and analysis in the national survey of soil pollution.