Screening for transformation products of pesticides using tandem mass spectrometric scan modes

The applicability of tandem mass spectrometric (MS–MS) scan modes such as constant neutral-loss and precursor-ion scanning to screen for unknown transformation products (TPs) of pesticides at environmentally relevant concentrations (low-μg/l level) is studied. The selection of the MS–MS scan modes i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Chromatography A 2001-04, Vol.915 (1), p.129-137
Main Authors: Steen, R.J.C.A., Bobeldijk, I., Brinkman, U.A.Th
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis methods
Analytical chemistry
Applied sciences
Atrazines
Chemistry
Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography
Exact sciences and technology
Fenchlorazole-ethyl
Furathiocarb
Natural water pollution
Other chromatographic methods
Pesticides
Pesticides - chemistry
Pollution
Reference Standards
Sensitivity and Specificity
Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - methods
Triazoles
Water treatment and pollution
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The applicability of tandem mass spectrometric (MS–MS) scan modes such as constant neutral-loss and precursor-ion scanning to screen for unknown transformation products (TPs) of pesticides at environmentally relevant concentrations (low-μg/l level) is studied. The selection of the MS–MS scan modes is based on the product-ion scan of the parent pesticide, and TPs are detected which are unaltered in the part of the structure concerned. The screening approach is applied to a surface water sample spiked with atrazine and three known TPs at a level of 3 μg/l to study the possibility to extract the TPs from the total ion chromatogram. Next, the approach is used to identify unknown TPs formed after (bio)degradation of two test compounds, fenchlorazole-ethyl (FCE) and furathiocarb (FTC). By using the precursor-ion scan mode, two TPs were detected after biodegradation of FCE, fenchlorazole-methyl and fenchlorazole; in surface water only fenchlorazole was found. The constant neutral-loss scan mode was used to identify carbofuran as TP of FTC. The added value of the proposed procedure is the increased selectivity at the cost of sensitivity. Best results are, therefore, obtained for samples which contain large amounts of matrix constituents.
ISSN:0021-9673
DOI:10.1016/S0021-9673(01)00600-8