Superfund Research Program

Chromatography/Plasma MS for Ultra-trace Analysis

Project Leader: Joseph A. Caruso
Grant Number: P42ES004908
Funding Period: 1995 - 2001

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   1999 

The primary goal of this project is to improve risk assessment by emphasizing elemental speciation studies for samples with environmental health significance at ultra-trace levels. This significant new approach is generating both quantitative analyses and structural identification data at sub-nanogram to sub-picogram levels. These studies are utilizing low-pressure (LP) and alternate gas source glow discharges (GD) for elemental species detection. Because of their nature and the high information level available from such sources, special attention must be given to sample introduction methods. This project has already shown that gaseous sample introduction methods are readily viable. Additional publications on this work are forthcoming, and new work is beginning on selenium compounds. Recent work published late last year focused on sample preparation for elemental speciation methods using solid phase microextractions. Researchers have shown that this method can be markedly improved by specially bonding the extracting material to a fused silica fiber through the sol-gel process which produces a chemically bonded extractant to the fiber. Such fibers are thermally and chemically more stable than those commercially available. Work with selenium compounds is ongoing utilizing chiral separations with plasma detection.