Gas Chromatography-Negative Ion Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the Determination and Identification of Planar Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Biological Samples

Planar and mono-ortho substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been identified and quantified at very low concentrations in biological samples (herring and polecat samples) using an off-line combination of column liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCIMS). The PCBs generate good mass spectra dominated by the molecular ion as the base peak. The dissociative electron capture mechanism is more pronounced for the higher chlorinated PCBs. The limits of detection of the planar and mono-ortho substituted PCBs under selected ion monitoring (SIM) conditions are 40–100 fg.