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  • Determination of low level methyl tert-butyl ether, ethyl tert-butyl ether and methyl tert-amyl ether in human urine by HS-SPME gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Determination of low level methyl tert-butyl ether, ethyl tert-butyl ether and methyl tert-amyl ether in human urine by HS-SPME gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Analytica chimica acta (2007-03-28)
Licia Scibetta, Laura Campo, Rosa Mercadante, Vito Foà, Silvia Fustinoni
ABSTRACT

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) are oxygenated compounds added to gasoline to enhance octane rating and to improve combustion. They may be found as pollutants of living and working environments. In this work a robotized method for the quantification of low level MTBE, ETBE and TAME in human urine was developed and validated. The analytes were sampled in the headspace of urine by SPME in the presence of MTBE-d12 as internal standard. Different fibers were compared for their linearity and extraction efficiency: carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene, and polydimethylsiloxane. The first, although highly efficient, was discarded due to deviation of linearity for competitive displacement, and the polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene fiber was chosen instead. The analysis was performed by GC/MS operating in the electron impact mode. The method is very specific, with range of linearity 30-4600 ng L(-1), within- and between-run precision, as coefficient of variation, <22 and <16%, accuracy within 20% the theoretical level, and limit of detection of 6 ng L(-1) for all the analytes. The influence of the matrix on the quantification of these ethers was evaluated analysing the specimens of seven traffic policemen exposed to autovehicular emissions: using the calibration curve and the method of standard additions comparable levels of MTBE (68-528 ng L(-1)), ETBE (<6 ng L(-1)), and TAME (<6 ng L(-1)) were obtained.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 85 μm(CAR/PDMS, for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga, metal alloy fiber
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga, metal alloy fiber, fiber L 1 cm
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 569, 20-45 mesh, bottle of 500 g
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), needle size 24 ga, StableFlex, for use with autosampler
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 1000, 40-60 mesh, bottle of 50 g
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 75 μm(CAR/PDMS, for use with manual holder, needle size 24 ga
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 75 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 563, 20-45 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 564, 20-45 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 569, 20-45 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
Carboxen®-1010 PLOT Capillary GC Column, L × I.D. 30 m × 0.53 mm, average thickness 30 μm
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 1003, 40-60 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
Carboxen®-1006 PLOT Capillary GC Column, L × I.D. 30 m × 0.53 mm, average thickness 30 μm
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 564, 20-45 mesh, pack of 144 × 290 mg
Supelco
Carboxen®-1010 PLOT Capillary GC Column, L × I.D. 30 m × 0.32 mm, average thickness 15 μm
Supelco
Carboxen®-1006 PLOT Capillary GC Column, L × I.D. 30 m × 0.32 mm, average thickness 15 μm
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 85 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 24 ga, StableFlex, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 75 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 23 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
Carboxen® 1000 Reversible SPE Tube, 200 mg/mL, pk 30
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), needle size 23 ga, StableFlex, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 85 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 23 ga, StableFlex, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 75 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 23 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga, metal alloy fiber, fiber L 2 cm
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), df 85 μm(CAR/PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder, StableFlex fiber
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 1000, 60-80 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), needle size 23 ga, StableFlex, for use with manual holder or autosampler, fiber L 2 cm
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), needle size 24 ga, StableFlex
Supelco
Carboxen® Adsorbent, matrix Carboxen® 572, 20-45 mesh, bottle of 10 g
Supelco
ORBO-93 Sorbent Tube, ORBO tube I.D. × L 6 mm × 95 mm, Bed A 180 mg, Bed B 90 mg, 60/80 mesh, pkg of 25 ea