Assessment of thiol compounds from garlic by automated headspace derivatized in-needle-NTD-GC-MS and derivatized in-fiber-SPME-GC-MS.

This study investigates the analysis of thiol compounds using a needle trap device (HS-NTD) and solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) derivatized headspace techniques coupled to GC-MS. Thiol compounds and their outgassed products are particularly difficult to monitor in foodstuffs. It was found that with in-needle and in-fiber derivatization, using the derivatization agent N-phenylmaleimide, it was possible to enhance the selectivity toward thiol, which allowed the quantitation of butanethiol, ethanethiol, methanethiol, and propanethiol compounds found in fresh garlic.

Assessment of matrix effects on methyl benzoate, a potential biomarker for detection of outgassed semi-volatiles from mold in indoor building materials.

Methyl benzoate - as a biomarker for mold growth - was used as a specific target compound to indicate outgassed MVOC products from mold. Both real and surrogate samples were analyzed from a variety of matrices including: carpet, ceiling tiles, dried paint surfaces, wallboard and wallboard paper. Sampling parameters, including: desorption, extraction time, incubation temperature, pH, salt effects and spinning rate, were optimized.

Methyl benzoate as a marker for the detection of mold in indoor building materials.

A convenient analytical method to quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various building materials has not been addressed yet. This work presents a new and rapid automated method using SPME combined with GC/MS. Methyl benzoate - as a metabolic biomarker for mold growth-was used to indicate VOCs and to determine and assess mold growth on damp samples.

Full automation of derivatization--solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a dual-arm system for the determination of organometallic compounds in aqueous samples.

The determination of organometallic compounds in aqueous samples by in-vial derivatization and headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME)-gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) has been fully automated using a Twin PAL dual-arm robotic system. Linearity, accuracy, sensitivity for a series of n-methyl, n-ethyl, and n-phenyl metal substituted chloride compounds of tin, lead, and mercury were investigated. The automated method was compared to similar manual methods and improved precision, speed and throughput was achieved.