Development of an SPME–GC–MS/MS procedure for the monitoring of 2-phenoxyethanol in anaesthetised fish

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2008-05, Vol.75 (4), p.1082-1088
• Main Authors: Klimánková, Eva, Riddellová, Kateřina, Hajšlová, Jana, Poustka, Jan, Kolářová, Jitka, Kocourek, Vladimír
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-Phenoxyethanol; Analytical chemistry; Anesthetics - administration & dosage; Anesthetics - analysis; Anesthetics - pharmacokinetics; Animals; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Ethylene Glycols - administration & dosage; Ethylene Glycols - analysis; Ethylene Glycols - pharmacokinetics; Exact sciences and technology; Fish samples; Fishes - metabolism; Gas chromatographic methods; Gas chromatography (GC); Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS); Matrix modification; Muscles - chemistry; Muscles - cytology; Reproducibility of Results; Solid phase microextraction; Solid Phase Microextraction - methods; Spectrometric and optical methods
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2008.01.035

2-Phenoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, C 8H 10O 2) is a promising anaesthetic agent used in fisheries and aquaculture. The aim of this study was to develop a fast and easy method to determine 2-phenoxyethanol residue levels in fish tissue and blood plasma, and, subsequently, to use the method to monitor the dynamics of 2-phenoxyethanol residues in fish treated with anaesthetic. We developed a new procedure that employs solid phase microextraction (SPME) of the target analyte from the sample headspace followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Both sample handling, aimed at maximum transfer of 2-phenoxyethanol into the headspace, and SPME–GC–MS conditions were carefully optimised. Using a divinylbenzene/Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS/CAR/DVB) fiber for 60 min sampling at 30 °C and an ion trap detector operated in MS/MS mode, we obtained detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits of 0.03 and 0.1 mg kg −1 of sample, respectively. The method was linear in a range of 0.1–250 mg kg −1 and, depending on the sample matrix and spiking level, a repeatability (expressed as relative standard deviation, R.S.D.) of between 3% and 11% was obtained.