Development of a quick, sensitive and solvent-free methodology for the analysis of volatile and semi-volatiles contaminants in environmental matrices

Abstract

Volatile and Semi-Volatile contaminants are increasingly of concern due to the high toxicity and their abundant presence in the environment. This concern led the development of various laws (national and international) which set maximum limits of these compounds in environmental matrices such as groundwater, soil, sediment, water, and effluent, among others. Environmental concern in monitoring these compounds also is linked to public health issues, since these contaminants can bioaccumulate and biomagnified in the food chain. Because of this, many countries have set tolerance limits for these compounds in foods such as organochlorine compounds in fish.These contaminants are usually analyzed by gas chromatography after being extracted from the matrix by any suitable extraction technique. Among the different extraction techniques for this purpose, some features are desirable, such as the use of small amounts of solvent (generating less waste), high sensitivity (to achieve low detection limits in order to evaluate these compounds in environmental matrices) and quickly. Headspace Microextraction methods can analyze a wide variety of analytes, but to meet the aforementioned characteristics, the suitability of this technique for analysis of volatile and semi-volatile contaminants in environmental matrices is necessary, to obtain a quick, sensitive and solvent-free methodology. (AU)