Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry hyphenated to capillary gas chromatography as a detection system for the speciation analysis of organolead compounds in environmental waters

The application of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection system to the speciation of organolead compounds in environmental waters is described. Derivatization was carried out by propylation with a Grignard reagent after extraction of the organolead compounds into hexane as their diethyldithiocarbamate complexes. This was followed by separation and detection with capillary gas chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Detection limits ranging from 10 fg (0.05 ng l(-1)) (as Pb) for trimethyllead to 16 fg (0.08 ng l(-1)) (as Ph) for diethyllead were achieved. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by additional analysis of the water samples with capillary gas chromatography coupled to microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry and by the analysis of a reference material from the Standards, Measurements & Testing Programme of the European Union