Electron organic trace analysis

GC has been used extensively for the separation and determination of volatile organic molecules, and most aspects of this application area are fully documented in monographs on this technique. In the inorganic trace analysis area, however, fewer species possess the required volatility, and applications tend to be limited to the separation of volatile species of low molecular weight (such as methyl derivatives of As, Se, Sn, Hg) and the separation of semi-volatile organo-metals, metal halides, metal hydrides, metal carbonyls and metal chelates. For organo-metal species, the type of detection system required varies with the nature of the analyte, and the options include electron capture detection, flame photometric detection (sometimes ICP), AAS and MS. 

In inorganic chemistry, mixtures of metal ions in solution can be analyzed by electron-impact mass spectrometry. First the metal ions are complexed with an organic ligand (usually various substituted acetylacetonates) to form volatile metal chelates. If many metal ions are anticipated, the mixture is separated by GC and the separated fractions identified by mass spectrometry. Simple mixtures can be analyzed directly using the mass spectrometer. Because of the high sensitivity of mass spectrometry, trace analysis is possible. 

Polarography is an excellent method for trace and ultra-trace analysis of inorganic and organic substances and compounds. The basic process of electron transfer at an electrode... 

Solvent extraction followed by gas chromatographic analysis is used to determine paraffin wax antioxidants (qv), ie, butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene and other volatile materials. Trace amounts of chlorinated organic compounds, eg, polychlorinated biphenyls, can be deterrnined by using a gas chromatograph with an electron-capture detector (22). 

The more advanced instrumental methods of analysis, including GC, for the detection and identification of expls are presented (Ref 90) Pyrolysis of expls in tandem with GC/MS was used for the identification of contaminant expls in the environment (Ref 108). Isomer vapor impurities of TNT were characterized by GC-electron capture detector and mass spectrometry (Ref 61). Volatile impurities in TNT and Comp B were analyzed using a GC/MS the GC was equipped with electron capture and flame ionization detectors (Ref 79). The vapors evolved from mines, TNT, acetone, toluene, cyclohexanone and an organosilicon, were analyzed by GC/MS (Ref 78). Red water produced by the sellite purification of crude TNT was analyzed by GC/MS for potentially useful organic compds, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 3- and 4-sulfonic acids (Ref 124). Various reports were surveyed to determine which methods, including GC/MS, are potential candidates for detection of traces of TNT vapors emitted from land mines factors influencing transportability of TNT vapors thru soil to soil/air interface are dis-... 

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