Determination of Chlorinated Paraffins by Bromide-Anion Attachment Atmospheric-Pressure Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry

A novel method for the quantitative determination of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) was developed using bromide-anion attachment atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). Bromoform was used to enhance ionization of CPs. Near exclusive formation of stable bromide adduct ions ([M + Br]−) enabled accurate detection of individual CP congener groups (CnClm) with only a moderate-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Furthermore, the method was free from interference commonly observed with chloride-anion attachment methods (e.g., decomposition ions [M + Cl – HCl]−) that require deconvolution. Together with a CnClm-response-factor algorithm for quantifying short-chain CPs and a CnClm-pattern-reconstruction algorithm for quantifying medium- and long-chain CPs, method applicability was demonstrated on biota and sediment samples. These data were generated significantly faster and with improved selectivity and sensitivity versus those of conventional measurements by chloride-anion attachment APCI-MS.