Analytical performance of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer compared to a high resolution mass spectrometer for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants used globally in many consumer products and industrial applications. Traditionally, gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HR-MS) is the method of choice for analysis of PBDEs in environmental samples because it offers high sensitivity and selectivity, resulting in less interferences. However, the specificity offered by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-QQQ-MS/MS), operated in selected reaction monitoring mode, provides a more affordable alternative to GC-HR-MS for the analysis of PBDEs in complex environmental samples. In this study, an analytical method was developed for the analysis of 41 PBDE congeners in fish using GC-QQQ-MS/MS. Results from the analysis of three fish species [lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)] using GC-QQQ-MS/MS were compared with those obtained by GC-HR-MS. These species were selected because they represent varying levels of lipid-rich matrix and contaminant loads. Instrumental limits of detection for the GC-QQQ-MS/MS ranged from 0.04pg to 41pg, whereas those for the GC-HR-MS ranged from 5pg to 85pg. The PBDE values obtained from these two methods were highly correlated, R² values >0.7, for all three fish species, supporting the suitability of GC-QQQ-MS/MS for analysis of PBDEs in fish with varying fat content.