Nobuo Ochiai

Determination of stale-flavor carbonyl compounds in beer by stir bar sorptive extraction with in-situ derivatization and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for the determination of stale-flavor carbonyl compounds including E-2-octenal, E-2-nonenal, E,Z-2,6-nonadienal and E,E-2,4-decadienal in beer was developed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with in-situ derivatization followed by thermal desorption-GC-MS analysis. The derivatization conditions with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine and the SBSE conditions--sampling mode, salt addition, sample volume, polydimethylsiloxane volume (sample/polydimethylsiloxane phase ratio) and extraction time--were examined. The method showed good linearity over the concentration range from 0.1 to 10 ng ml(-1) for all analytes and the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.9993. The limits of detection ranged from 0.021 to 0.032 ng ml(-1) for all analytes. The recoveries (98-101%) and precision (RSD 2.4-7.3%) of the method were examined by analyzing beer samples fortified at the 0.5-ng ml(-1) level. The method was successfully applied to low-level concentration samples.

Determination of trace amounts of off-flavor compounds in drinking water by stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption GC-MS

A method for the determination of trace amounts of off-flavor compounds including 2-methylisoborneol, geosmin and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole in drinking water was developed using the stir bar sorptive extraction technique followed by thermal desorption-GC-MS analysis. The extraction conditions such as extraction mode, salt addition, extraction temperature, sample volume and extraction time were examined. Water samples (20, 40 and 60 ml) were extracted for 60-240 min at room temperature (25 degrees C) using stir bars with a length of 10 mm and coated with a 500 microm layer of polydimethylsiloxane. The extract was analyzed by thermal desorption-GC-MS in the selected ion monitoring mode. The method showed good linearity over the concentration range from 0.1 or 0.2 or 0.5 to 100 ng l(-1) for all the target analytes, and the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.9987. The detection limits ranged from 0.022 to 0.16 ng l(-1). The recoveries (89-109%) and precision (RSD: 0.80-3.7%) of the method were examined by analyzing raw water and tap water samples fortified at the 1 ng l(-1) level. The method was successfully applied to low-level samples (raw water and tap water).

Stir bar sorptive extraction and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry for ultra-trace analysis of organochlorine pesticides in river water

A method for the determination of ultra-trace amounts of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in river water was developed by using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by thermal desorption and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SBSE-TD-GC×GC-HRTOF-MS). SBSE conditions such as extraction time profiles, phase ratio (β: sample volume/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) volume), and modifier addition, were examined. Fifty milli-liter sample including 10% acetone was extracted for 3 h using stir bars with a length of 20 mm and coated with a 0.5 mm layer of PDMS (PDMS volume, 47 μL). The stir bar was thermally desorbed and subsequently analyzed by GC×GC-HRTOF-MS. The method showed good linearity over the concentration range from 50 to 1000 pg L(-1) or 2000 pg L(-1) for all analytes, and the correlation coefficients (r(2)) were greater than 0.9903 (except for β-HCH, r(2)=0.9870). The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 10 to 44 pg L(-1). The method was successfully applied to the determination of 16 OCPs at pg L(-1) to ng L(-1) in river water. The results agree fairly well with the values obtained by a conventional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE)-GC-HRMS (selected ion monitoring: SIM) method using large sample volume (20 L). The method also allows screening of non-target compounds, e.g. pesticides and their degradation products, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and metabolites in the same river water sample, by using full spectrum acquisition with accurate mass in GC×GC.

Environmental analysis of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A method for the analysis of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (Cl-/Br-PAHs) congeners in environmental samples, such as a soil extract, by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-HRTOF-MS) is described. The GC×GC-HRTOF-MS method allowed highly selective group type analysis in the two-dimensional (2D) mass chromatograms with a very narrow mass window (e.g. 0.02Da), accurate mass measurements for the full mass range (m/z 35-600) in GC×GC mode, and the calculation of the elemental composition for the detected Cl-/Br-PAH congeners in the real-world sample. Thirty Cl-/Br-PAHs including higher chlorinated 10 PAHs (e.g. penta, hexa and hepta substitution) and ClBr-PAHs (without analytical standards) were identified with high probability in the soil extract. To our knowledge, highly chlorinated PAHs, such as C(14)H(3)Cl(7) and C(16)H(3)Cl(7), and ClBr-PAHs, such as C(14)H(7)Cl(2)Br and C(16)H(8)ClBr, were found in the environmental samples for the first time. Other organohalogen compounds; e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were also detected. This technique provides exhaustive analysis and powerful identification for the unknown and unconfirmed Cl-/Br-PAH congeners in environmental samples.

Sequential stir bar sorptive extraction for uniform enrichment of trace amounts of organic pollutants in water samples

A novel extraction procedure for stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) termed sequential SBSE was developed. Compared to conventional SBSE, sequential SBSE provides more uniform enrichment over the entire polarity/volatility range for organic pollutants at ultra-trace levels in water. Sequential SBSE consists of a SBSE performed sequentially on a 5-mL sample first without modifier using one stir bar, then on the same sample after addition of 30% NaCl using a second stir bar. The first extraction with unmodified sample is mainly targeting solutes with high Kow (logKow>4.0), the second extraction with modified sample solution (containing 30% NaCl) is targeting solutes with low and medium Kow (logKow<4.0). After extraction the two stir bars are placed in a single glass desorption liner and are simultaneously desorbed. The desorbed compounds were analyzed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Recovery of model compounds consisting of 80 pesticides (organochlorine, carbamate, organophosphorus, pyrethroid, and others) for sequential SBSE was evaluated as a function of logKow (1.70-8.35). The recovery using sequential SBSE was compared with those of conventional SBSE with or without salt addition (30% NaCl). The sequential approach provided very good recovery in the range of 82-113% for most of the solutes, and recovery less than 80% for only five solutes with low Kow (logKow<2.5), while conventional approaches (with or without salt addition) showed less than 80% recovery for 23 and 41 solutes, respectively. The method showed good linearity (r2>0.9900) and high sensitivity (limit of detection: <10ngL(-1)) for most of the model compounds even with the scan mode in the MS. The method was successfully applied to screening of pesticides at ngL(-1) level in river water samples.

Selectable one-dimensional or two-dimensional gas chromatography-olfactometry/mass spectrometry with preparative fraction collection for analysis of ultra-trace amounts of odor compounds.

A novel selectable one-dimensional ((1)D) or two-dimensional ((2)D) gas chromatography-olfactometry/mass spectrometry with preparative fraction collection (selectable (1)D/(2)D GC-O/MS with PFC) system was developed. The main advantages of this system are the simple and fast selection of (1)D GC-O/MS or (2)D GC-O/MS or (1)D GC-PFC or (2)D GC-PFC operation with a mouse click (without any instrumental set-up change), and total transfer of enriched compounds with thermal desorption (TD) on the same system for identification with (2)D GC-O/MS analysis. Recovery of PFC enrichment with 20 injection cycles of 15 model compounds at 500pg each (e.g. alcohol, aldehyde, ester, lactone, and phenol) was very good with recoveries in the range of 98-116%. The feasibility and benefit of the proposed system was demonstrated with an identification of off-flavor compounds (e.g. 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), and geosmin) in spiked wine at odor perception threshold level (5-50ngL(-1)). After parallel stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for 20 aliquots of a sample and subsequent PFC enrichment for the odor-active fractions from the 20 stir bars, three off-flavor compounds were clearly resolved and detected with TD-(2)D GC-O/MS in scan mode. The good efficiency of SBSE-PFC enrichment in the range of 71-78% shows that all analytical steps, e.g. SBSE, TD, (1)D/(2)D GC-O/MS, and PFC, are quantitative and identification of off-flavor compounds at ngL(-1) level in wine is possible.

Global and selective detection of organohalogens in environmental samples by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We successfully detected halogenated compounds from several kinds of environmental samples by using a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatograph coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (GC×GC-MS/MS). For the global detection of organohalogens, fly ash sample extracts were directly measured without any cleanup process. The global and selective detection of halogenated compounds was achieved by neutral loss scans of chlorine, bromine and/or fluorine using an MS/MS. It was also possible to search for and identify compounds using two-dimensional mass chromatograms and mass profiles obtained from measurements of the same sample with a GC×GC-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer (HRTofMS) under the same conditions as those used for the GC×GC-MS/MS. In this study, novel software tools were also developed to help find target (halogenated) compounds in the data provided by a GC×GC-HRTofMS. As a result, many dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and many other halogenated compounds were found in fly ash extract and sediment samples. By extracting the desired information, which concerned organohalogens in this study, from huge quantities of data with the GC×GC-HRTofMS, we reveal the possibility of realizing the total global detection of compounds with one GC measurement of a sample without any pre-treatment.

Selectable one-dimensional or two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with simultaneous olfactometry or element-specific detection

A novel selectable one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (selectable 1D/2D GC-MS) system with selective detection was developed by using capillary flow technology and low thermal mass GC (LTM-GC). The main advantages of this system are the simple and fast selection of 1D GC-MS or 2D GC-MS operation without any instrumental set-up change (e.g. 2D GC-MS can be run just after 1D GC-MS run), and simultaneous mass spectrometric and olfactometry or element-specific detection for both 1D and 2D separation to assure selection of a heart-cut region and correct identification of compounds of interest. The feasibility and benefit of the proposed system with selective detection, e.g. olfactometry, nitrogen phosphorus detection (NPD), and pulsed flame photometric detection (PFPD), was demonstrated with an identification of trace amounts of aroma components in beverages (beer and coffee). Using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and selectable 1D/2D GC-Olfactometry/MS on a beer sample, beta-damascenone could be determined at 1.9 ng mL(-1) (RSD 3.1%, n=6) as a potent aroma compound. In a coffee sample, two odor active compounds were clearly resolved from a 4.2 s heart-cut and were assigned probable identifications as 4,5-dimethyl thiazole and dimethyl trisulfide based on a NIST library search, dual linear retention indices (dual LRI) and elemental information obtained by SBSE in combination with selectable 1D/2D GC-NPD/PFPD/MS.

Full evaporation dynamic headspace and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for uniform enrichment of odor compounds in aqueous samples

A method for analysis of a wide range of odor compounds in aqueous samples at sub-ng mL⁻¹ to μg mL⁻¹ levels was developed by full evaporation dynamic headspace (FEDHS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Compared to conventional DHS and headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), FEDHS provides more uniform enrichment over the entire polarity range for odor compounds in aqueous samples. FEDHS at 80°C using 3 L of purge gas allows complete vaporization of 100 μL of an aqueous sample, and trapping and drying it in an adsorbent packed tube, while providing high recoveries (85-103%) of the 18 model odor compounds (water solubility at 25°C: log0.54-5.65 mg L⁻¹, vapor pressure at 25°C: 0.011-3.2 mm Hg) and leaving most of the low volatile matrix behind. The FEDHS-GC-MS method showed good linearity (r²>0.9909) and high sensitivity (limit of detection: 0.21-5.2 ng mL⁻¹) for the model compounds even with the scan mode in the conventional MS. The feasibility and benefit of the method was demonstrated with analyses of key odor compounds including hydrophilic and less volatile characteristics in beverages (whiskey and green tea). In a single malt whiskey sample, phenolic compounds including vanillin could be determined in the range of 0.92-5.1 μg mL⁻¹ (RSD<7.4%, n=6). For a Japanese green tea sample, 48 compounds including 19 potent odorants were positively identified from only 100 μL of sample. Heat-induced artifact formation for potent odorants was also examined and the proposed method does not affect the additional formation of thermally generated compounds. Eighteen compounds including 12 potent odorants (e.g. coumarin, furaneol, indole, maltol, and pyrazine congeners) were determined in the range of 0.21-110 ng mL⁻¹ (RSD<10%, n=6).

Thermal desorption - comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for determination of trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

We developed a highly sensitive method for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives (oxygenated, nitrated, and methylated PAHs) in trace particulate samples by using thermal desorption followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (TD-GC×GC-MS/MS) with a selected reaction monitoring mode. The sensitivity of TD-GC×GC-MS/MS was greater than that of TD-GC-HRMS and TD-GC×GC-QMS by one or two orders of magnitude. The instrumental detection limits were 0.03-0.3pg (PAHs), 0.04-0.2pg (oxygenated PAHs), 0.03-0.1pg (nitrated PAHs), and 0.01-0.08pg (methylated PAHs). For small amounts (10-20μg) of standard reference materials (SRMs 1649a and 1650b, urban dust and diesel exhaust particles, respectively), the values measured by using TD-GC×GC-MS/MS agreed with the certified or reference values within a factor of two. Major analytes were quantified successfully by TD-GC×GC-MS/MS from diesel exhaust nanoparticles (18-32nm) and accumulation-mode particles (100-180nm) from an 8-L diesel engine with no exhaust after-treatment system. The PAH profiles differed among driving conditions but they did not differ markedly among the particle sizes.