SPME/GC-MS for studying adsorption of organophosphate flame retardants on soils

Three kinds of commonly used organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) with different polarities were selected as the research object in this study. Solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) was adopted to develop an analytical method to study the adsorption performance of OPFRs in soils. The SPME conditions, such as extraction time, sampling volume, desorption time and desorption temperature, were optimized. The interference factors leading to the increase of blank values were determined. Different calibration curves of OPFRs were established for each tested soil sample. Based on the SPME/GC-MS method, the adsorption performance of three OPFRs in different soils was preliminarily investigated. The results showed that the adsorption rate of three OPFRs in the tested soils ranged from 27%-69%, and the adsorption rate increased with the decrease in OPFRs' polarity and the increase in the organic matter content in the tested soils. The analytical method developed in this study is easy to operate with quick speed, high accuracy and sensitivity for quantitative test of OPFRs. In addition, this method has little blank interference, and is easy to be popularized.