Short-, medium-, and long-chain chlorinated paraffins in South African indoor dust and cat hair.

Polychlorinated n-alkanes or chlorinated paraffins (CPs) contain a magnitude of structural isomers and are categorized as short-chain (SCCPs), medium-chain (MCCPs), and long-chain (LCCPs) CPs, according to the carbon chain lengths. In this study the ƩSCCPs, ƩMCCPs, and ƩLCCP concentrations are reported for South African indoor dust and pet cat hair. The median concentrations of the ƩCPs (C-C) ranged from 33 to 663 μg/g for freshly collected dust (FD), 36-488 μg/g for dust collected from household vacuum cleaner bags (VD), and 1.

Brominated and organophosphorus flame retardants in South African indoor dust and cat hair.

Flame retardants (FRs), such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), are diverse groups of compounds used in various products related to the indoor environment. In this study concentrations of eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), two alternative BFRs and ten OPFRs were determined in indoor dust (n = 20) and pet cat hair (n = 11) from South Africa. The OPFRs were the major FRs, contributing to more than 97% of the total FR concentration.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry for screening of organohalogenated compounds in cat hair.

The coupling of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry offers the best separation efficiency combined with accurate mass measurements over a wide mass range. The tremendous power of this screening tool is illustrated by trace qualitative screening analysis of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) in pet cat hair. Tentative identification was supported by mass spectral database searches and elemental formula prediction from the experimentally determined accurate mass data.

Critical review of the analysis of brominated flame retardants and their environmental levels in Africa.

World-wide, the prevalence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) is well documented for routine analysis of environmental and biological matrices. There is, however, limited information on these compounds in the African environment and insufficient information on the analytical approaches used to obtain data. This paper presents a review on BFR levels in the African environment and the various analytical methodologies specifically applied in Africa for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls and alternative-BFRs.

Establishing an alternative method for the quantitative analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans by comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for developing countries.

Comprehensive Gas Chromatography-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) methodology has been refined for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in samples with different matrices. This is specifically for application in developing countries where access to gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) and highly skilled personnel is limited. The method, using an Rxi-5 Sil MS column in the first dimension ((1)D) coupled with an Rtx-200 column in the second dimension ((2)D), was used to quantify PCDDs and PCDFs in different environmental sample matrices.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) for environmental forensic investigations in developing countries.

The disposal and dumping of toxic waste is a matter of growing concern in developing countries, including South Africa. Frequently these countries do not possess access to gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) for the determination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This publication describes an alternative approach to the investigation of toxic waste using comprehensive gas chromatography coupled to time of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS).