Sensitive method for the determination of roxarsone using solid-phase microextraction with multi-detector gas chromatography

We describe the development, optimization, and application of a novel method for the unequivocal identification and quantification of roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, 3-NHPAA) at low μg L−1 levels. The method is based on capillary gas–liquid chromatography with parallel quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometric (QIT-MS) and pulsed flame photometric detection (PFPD). The sensitive method couples the arsenic specificity of PFPD with the high selectivity of molecular MS for the determination of roxarsone, dimethylarsenic acid (DMAA), and monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) in complex matrices. Analytes were derivatized based on the approach we previously reported [B. Szostek, J.H. Aldstadt, J. Chromatogr. A 807 (1998) 253 and D.R. Killelea, J.H. Aldstadt, J. Chromatogr. A 918 (2001) 169] for the reaction of organoarsenicals with 1,3-propanedithiol (PDT). The cyclic dithiaarsenolines formed were extracted from the sample matrix in the liquid phase by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The optimized SPME conditions employed a 65 μm polydimethlysiloxane–divinylbenzene (PDMS–DVB) fiber, extraction temperature of 70 °C and fiber equilibration time of 15.0 min. The mass spectrum of the dithiaarsenoline of roxarsone showed a base peak that corresponded to the predicted structure at m/z 319 and the tell-tale peak of an arsenic compound derivatized with PDT at m/z 181. Further peaks at m/z 149 and 228 were observed and found to be unique to roxarsone, formed by an interesting internal rearrangement of the ONOH functionality. A linear calibration model was prepared for roxarsone over an environmentally relevant range (0.0–100 μg L−1) and a detection limit of 2.69 μg L−1 (3σ) was observed. The method was applied to several fortified environmental surface water samples (50 μg L−1) where the average recovery for roxarsone was 103 ± 10.9%.