Recent Progress in the Determination of Polychlorodibenzo-p-Dioxins and Polychlorodibenzofurans by Mass Spectrometry: A Minireview

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) is the most reliable and accurate method for measuring polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs). High-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (referred to as magnetic double-focusing mass spectrometry) has been recommended as the ‘gold standard’ for the determination of PCDD/Fs in various samples. Many techniques and instruments, such as triple quadrupole MS (QqQ-MS), time-of-flight MS (TOF-MS), ion trap MS (IT-MS), Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance MS (FTICR-MS), and orbitrap MS, have been employed for the determination of PCDD/Fs. In this review, the progress in MS-related techniques used for PCDD/F determination in different matrices is updated. The sensitivity, recovery, and precision of these methods are summarized. The potential applications and unique merits of MS as a novel technique for the determination of PCDD/Fs are discussed.

Keywords:

• High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)
• polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins
• polychlorodibenzofurans
• triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 21876181, 22176106, 21976099), Shandong Province Higher Educational Program for Introduction and Cultivation of Young Innovative Talents (2021), and the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province of China (grant number ZR2019MB046).