Determination of Phthalate Esters in Sediment Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The extraction efficiency of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was studied for Phthalate Esters in sediment and compared with that of Soxhlet. A method has been developed for the detection of 16 phthalate esters (PAEs) in sediment samples by ASE and gas chromatography. mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The samples were extracted using ASE with dichloromethane. hexane mixture, and then the extracts were purified by Florisil column. After cleanup, the extracts were analyzed by GC/MS in SIM mode, using characteristic ions for quantification. The results showed that dichloromethane. hexane mixture displayed the best extraction performance among the three employed solvents, 80 degrees C was the best extraction temperature. In comparison with Soxhlet extraction method, not only the efficiency of ASE was generally better than Soxhlet, but reduced solvent consumption. The average recoveries were from 81. 2% to 128. 5%, the correlation coefficient was more than 0. 99, and the limits of detection (LOD) of all the compounds were 0. 12-0. 98 ng/g with RSDs less than 10. 8%.