Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in domestic dust by microwave-assisted solvent extraction and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

In this paper, a rapid and simple method for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust samples based on microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) is presented. Extraction conditions were optimized using a multifactorial experimental design approach. The use of an aqueous NaOH phase in combination with a non-polar organic phase (hexane) to extract the target analytes from dust allowed an efficient extraction and reduced chromatographic background. The final hexane extracts could be analyzed after a simple one-step cleanup procedure using Florisil. The validation of the method was performed in terms of accuracy, linearity, and repeatability. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.29 to 0.55 ng/g for all compounds. The target PBDEs were found in several real dust samples collected in urban and rural houses of Northwestern Spain.