A simplified method for determination of tetrabromobisphenol A and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human plasma and serum

A method utilizing solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography with electron capture mass spectrometric detection (GC-ECMS) has been developed for simultaneous determination of seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A) in plasma and serum. Plasma and serum samples of 5.0 g were diluted and applied to a polystyrene-divinylbenzene SPE column. The lipids were decomposed by treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid directly on the SPE column, prior to elution of the brominated flame retardants by dichloromethane-methanol (7 + 3, v/v). Following diazomethane derivatization, the samples were analyzed by GC-ECMS. The method has been validated in the concentration range of 1.8-90 pg brominated flame retardants/g plasma or serum. The average absolute recoveries were in the range of 56-111% and 40-90% for plasma and serum, respectively. The average recoveries of the analytes relative to the internal standards were 75-108% and 88-111% for plasma and serum, respectively. The repeatability of the method was in the range of 0.6-27% RSD, and the estimated detection limits were in the range of 0.4-9.8 pg/g plasma or serum. The human plasma used for validation contained all the investigated analytes, in concentrations below 4 ng/g lipid weight.

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