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• 10 • 800-356-1688 • 2005 vol. 1
High Resolution GC/MS Separations of
Dioxin or Furan Congeners
Using an Rtx®-Dioxin2 Column
by Gary Stidsen, GC Columns Marketing Manager
•Resolves all 2,3,7,8-substituted dioxinsfrom each other and from non-toxic congeners.
•Resolves furan congeners from chlorodiphenyl ethers.
• Eliminates need for a second column.
• Low bleed stationary phase, stable to 320ºC.
An analysis for dioxins or furans typically
includes extensive sample extract cleanup, fol-
lowed by high-resolution mass spectrometry,
and a primary requirement of the analytical col-
umn is complete separation of the toxic dioxin or
furan congeners (substitutions in the 2, 3, 7, and
8 positions). Unfortunately, separation of the
toxic congeners from the non-toxic congeners
proves difficult on almost all stationary phases.
Quantification for some target congeners is
inaccurately high, due to coelution with non-
toxic congeners. The coelution issue has result-
ed in the use of confirmation columns, most
commonly high cyanopropyl stationary phases,
in order to more accurately quantify the toxic
congeners. Unfortunately, cyanopropyl columns
exhibit poor thermal stability, and therefore
offer poor lifetime in this application.
With these problems in mind, Restek chemists
developed the Rtx® -Dioxin2 capillary GC column.
This column effectively resolves the 2,3,7,8-sub-
stituted congeners from each other and from
non-toxic congeners. Figure 1 shows the sepa-
ration of the tetrachlorodibenzodioxins on a 60-
meter Rtx®-Dioxin2 column. 2,3,7,8-TCDD is well
resolved from the other congeners in this group
and can be quantified accurately.
Coelutions of toxic and non-toxic congeners also
can make quantification of the hexachlorodiben-
zofurans difficult, but an Rtx®-Dioxin2 column
resolves furan congeners as effectively as diox-
ins. Figure 2, a chromatogram for the HCDF con-
gener group in reference material WMS-01,
shows the congeners are very well resolved.
Values for 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran,
or for other congeners, compare favorably with
values from the other columns typically used for
this analysis.
We can provide elution orders for all of the
commonly analyzed congeners, and chro-
matograms for each congener group in the WMS-
01 reference material. If you would like this
detailed information, or additional information
about Rtx® -Dioxin2 columns, please contact us.
Rtx®-Dioxin2 Columns (fused silica)
ID df (µm) temp. limits 40-Meter 60-Meter
0.18mm 0.18 20°C to 320°C 10759 $650 — —
0.25mm 0.25 20°C to 320°C — — 10758 $750
Figure 1 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin resolved from other TCDD congeners,
using an Rtx®-Dioxin2 column.
Column and Conditions for
Figures 1 and 2:
Column: 60m, 0.25mm ID, 0.25µm
Rtx®-Dioxin2 (cat.# 10758)
Oven temp.: 130°C (hold 1 min.) to
205°C @ 45°C/min. to 305°C @
6°C/min. (hold 30 min.);
Dead time: 2.89 min.; Carrier gas:
helium at 1.5mL/min., constant flow
NativeTCDDs
321.8936 m/z
1,2,3,4-TCDD-C13
2,3,7,8-TCDD-C13
C13 labels
331.9386 m/z
GC_EV00702
2,3,7,8-TCDD
Chromatograms courtesy of
Karen MacPherson and Eric
Reiner, Ontario Ministry of the
Environment, Etobicoke,
Ontario, Canada.
WMS-01 and HCDF reference
material courtesy of
Wellington Laboratories,
Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Figure 2 Hexachlorodibenzofuran congeners resolved by an Rtx®-Dioxin2 column.
Native HCDFs
373.8207 m/z
WMS-01
C13 labels
331.9386 m/z
1,2,3,4,7,8-HCDF-C13
1,2,3,6,7,8-HCDF-C13
2,3,4,6,7,8-HCDF-C13
1,2,3,7,8,9-HCDF-C13
GC_EV00703
1,2,3,4,7,8-HCDF
1,2,3,6,7,8-HCDF
2,3,4,6,7,8-HCDF
1,2,3,7,8,9-HCDF
restek
innovation !
Pittcon® presentation
This information will be presented by Dr. Frank Dorman,
Oral Session 1000, Tuesday afternoon, March 1.
Plan to attend Dioxin 2005,
and visit Restek!