Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in water using GC-SQMS

Wed, Dec 4, 2024 11:00 AM EST{LOCAL_TZ}

Event Overview:

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were produced in large quantities between 1930 and 1980, typically used in electrical devices and coolant fluids. They were identified as environmentally toxic and were banned in the US in 1979, and in 1986, an international agreement banned most uses of PCB’s due to environmental concerns. PCBs persist in the environment for long periods of time and can travel over distances through air, water, and soil. PCBs are associated with a range of health issues, including skin problems, liver effects and have potential carcinogenic effects on both humans and animals.

PCBs are heavily regulated with strict requirements; in this example application we look at 15 PCBs in drinking water. We show how to identify these compounds using the powerful NIST library search built into our MS software (MSWS), how to develop a method to meet the EPA limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.5ppb, highlighting the instrument parameters required to achieve this such as column choice, liner choice, injection parameters, use and choice of an internal standard and MS scan parameters (Selective Ion Monitoring or SIM). We will then discuss method validation to ensure good working of the method and full regulatory compliance.

Key Learning Objectives:
  • Discover how the SCION Instruments SQ-MS is able to achieve the challenging LOQ of ≤0.5ppb for drinking water according to the EPA; national drinking water regulations.
  • Learn to easily identify compounds with our built in NIST library search tool.
  • See how the sample preparation technique of liquid-liquid extraction has been employed to easily prepare water samples. A spiked water sample was used to confirm the EPA LOQ of ≤0.5ppb.
  • The method gave excellent validation results showing the SCION GC-SQMS to be the ideal solution for PCB analysis in water.
Who Should Attend:
  • Environmental Analysts
  • Academic Researchers
  • Laboratory Managers
  • Analytical Chemists

Featured Speaker:

James Hogan
James Hogan
Applications Lead Scientist
SCION Instruments Ltd


James Hogan joined SCION Instruments in January 2023 as the Applications Lead Scientist. He is an experienced analytical chemist, and over the past decade has worked in a number of different analytical and applications-based roles spanning a variety of industries including environmental, emissions monitoring, and regulatory testing. James has extensive experience in analytical method development and validation using GC and LC systems.

Speaker's Email: JamesH@scioninstruments.com
Speaker's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hogan-56486196/


For any technical questions please contact Jorge de la Bandera: jdelabandera@mjhlifesciences.com