Determination of Trace Leaching Phthalate Esters in Water and Urine from Plastic Containers by Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract A sensitive method has been developed for determination of trace leaching phthalate esters (PAEs) in water and urine from plastic containers by direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The limits of detection (LODs) for PAEs in water and urine had values between 0.2–8 ng L−1 and 4–70 ng L−1, respectively. The proposed method was successfully used for quantification of trace PAEs in water in microwavable polypropylene containers heated by microwave irradiation and in the urine of patients treated with a glucose injection using polyvinyl chloride tubing. Keywords: Direct immersion solid-phase microextractionGas chromatography-mass spectrometryMedical devicesMicrowavable polypropylene containerPhthalate estersPolyvinyl chloride Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China for financially supporting this research under contract No. NSC92-2113-M-005-024. Notes *Not available. *ND: not detected. *ND: not detected.