Detection of Plasticizers in Soil by Accelerated Solvent Extraction-QuEChERS-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

A method for the detection of 17 plasticizers in soil samples by the accelerated solvent extraction（ASE）-QuEChERS-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry（GC/MS） has been established. The soil samples were extracted with hexane saturated acetonitrile, and purified by 25 mg PSA (primary secondary amine) and 25 mg Silica. GC/MS was used for the detection in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, and the matrix-matched external standard calibration curves were used for the quantitative analysis. The standard solution of 17 plasticizers showed a good linearity in the concentration range of 0.01 to 2 mg/L, and the correlation coefficient (r) were above 0.999. The limit of detection was between 0.01 and 0.05 mg/kg, and the limit of quantitation was between 0.03 and 0.15 mg/kg. The spiked recoveries and precisions of 17 plasticizers were ranged from 72.8% to 116.2% and 1.73% to 6.15% at the three spiked concentration levels (0.5, 1.0, 5.0 mg/kg), respectively. The method is simple, convenient, sensitive and accurate, and is suitable for the detection of 17 plasticizers in soil.