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Elemental and Organometallic Analyses of Soil Using Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Author(s) -
Barshick Christopher M.,
Barshick StacyAnn,
Mohill Matthew L.,
Britt Phillip F.,
Smith David H.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0231(199602)10:3<341::aid-rcm475>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - chemistry , mass spectrometry , gas chromatography , reagent , mercury (programming language) , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , chromatography , group 2 organometallic chemistry , slurry , elemental analysis , environmental chemistry , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , materials science , molecule , computer science , composite material , programming language
Glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) have been evaluated as techniques for total elemental assay in soil. GDMS analysis demonstrated accurate elemental quantification for lead and tin (approximately 20% error at the 10 ppm level). Limitations were encountered, however, when the element of interest was volatile, as in the case of mercury, or when the element was not an inorganic salt but a volatile organometallic compound. GC/MS was investigated as an alternative means of providing both organometallic compound analysis and elemental quantification. A solid‐phase microextraction fiber was demonstrated to be an effective sampling medium for several organometallic compounds in both water and a water/soil slurry. Quantification of inorganic mercury species was facilitated by using an alkylating reagent (methylpentacyanocobaltate (III)) to produce an organomercurial that could be analyzed by GC/MS. Although the reaction proceeded as anticipated, several additional observations were made that may be exploited in future studies.