Determination of Se using a solid-phase micro-extraction device coupled to a graphite furnace and detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

A solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) method using an SPME fiber device and graphite furnace (GF) for extracting Se compounds was proposed. Various factors affecting the derivatization and extraction of Se(IV) by SPME-GF were evaluated, including the effect of acid (type and concentration), the concentration of the derivatizing agent, the derivatization temperature, the extraction and derivatization times and the extraction temperature. After optimizing these conditions, the quantification of Se(IV) was performed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The limit of detection was 0.37 μg L⁻¹ for Se(IV). The method was successfully applied to the total Se determination in certified reference materials (BCR-414 and SRM 1643e). A recovery of 97% was obtained for water (SRM 1643e). After microwave oven decomposition and the reduction of selenium using a mixture of 2 mol L⁻¹ HCl and 1% (w/v) KBr, a recovery of 101% and a relative standard deviation of 3.5% were attained for plankton (BCR-414). The SPME-GF method combined with GC-MS was also applied to the determination of the total selenium in a drug sample (selenium chelate).