Volatile Methylsiloxanes in Complex Samples: Recent Updates on Pretreatment and Analysis Methods

Abstract

Volatile methylsiloxanes (VMSs) are massively produced chemicals having applications in industry and home because of their physical and chemical characteristics. They are used in personal care products such as cosmetics, household coatings, cleaners, skin care products, and others. Resultantly, large number of VMSs are discharged into air where they can be subjected to atmospheric migrations over long distances causing toxic and estrogenic effects, persistence, and bioaccumulations. Many institutions have taken measures to control VMSs. They require accurate, rapid, and sensitive pretreatment and analysis methods for diverse samples. Herein, the pretreatment and determination methods of VMSs as reported in recent years are reviewed and summarized. Pretreatments include commonly methods such as membrane-assisted solvent extraction, liquid–liquid extraction, and others, while novel methods are solid phase extraction, solid phase microextraction, diverse liquid phase microextraction and others. Analyses are made through gas chromatography-based methods. In addition, the advantages, and disadvantages of techniques are compared, and the prospects of pretreatment and analysis methods are discussed.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Pros and cons of different pretreatment and detection methods for VMSs were discussed.

2. Different novel pretreatment techniques for VMSs were discussed.

3. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for the determination of VMSs was discussed.

Graphic Abstract

Keywords:

• Analysis
• environmental samples
• pretreatment
• volatile methylsiloxanes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.