Using the Empore™ EZTrace SPE Workstation for Efficient, Reproducible Extractions of SVOCs

This application note demonstrates how the Empore™ EZ-Trace SPE System is used to perform multiple extractions simultaneously while achieving clean and reproducible results using EPA Method 525.3 as an example application.

Figure 1: Empore EZ-Trace extraction workstation for multiple extractions using Empore disks and cartridges.

Figure 2: Chromatogram showing the separation of 125 analytical, 3 surrogates, and 4 internal standards compounds extracted from a reagent grade water sample under EPA Method 525.3.

Table I: Recovery data for 3 samples of reagent grade water with different concentrations of standard compounds and one sample of ground water. ≥ 70% refers to the number of compounds having a recovery greater than 70%. The average recovery of those compounds is shown below that along with the %RSD. Each sample was done in 4 replicate measurements.

The EmporeTM EZ-Trace (Figure 1) is a manual, vacuum-controlled extraction workstation designed to perform up to 4 extractions simultaneously to improve efficiency in a clean and reproducible manner. The Empore EZ-Trace workstation is universally compatible with all Empore 47 / 90mm disks and cartridges. The unique independent channel design ensures that each extraction is precisely controlled, preventing cross-contamination with the other channels. High-throughput flow path switches provide a unique, environmentally friendly extraction by collecting organic and aqueous wastes in separate reservoirs. This is demonstrated here using an example application of EPA Method 525.3, which is designed for identification and quantification of SVOCs such as PCBs, PAHs, and pesticides. Under this method, SVOCs are extracted from three reagent water samples having different concentrations and one sample of ground water, with 4 replicate measurements required for each sample. Methods such as EPA 525.3 require ways to improve the efficiency when numerous extractions are needed.

Four extractions were done simultaneously using the Empore™ EZ-Trace system (catalog #: 8000) by following EPA 525.3 extraction procedures to extract SVOCs onto an Empore™ SDB-XC 47mm disk (catalog #: 2240). The extract was then evaporated, diluted, and then analyzed with Shimadzu GC-2010 using a Restek Rxi-5Sil-MS (30m x 0.25mm x 0.25µm) column for separation and MS QP2010 for detection. In this method, 125 analytical calibration standards, 3 surrogate compounds, and 4 internal standards are efficiently separated under this method (Figure 2). The recoveries and concentrations of 125 analytes were determined from four replicate measurements using a five-point calibration curve. For all compounds except for 2, the acceptable range of recoveries is 70-130%. The accepted range for the other 2 compounds is 60-130%. The combined recovery results are summarized in Table I. For each sample, the average recovery is > 89.9% with < 7.4% RSD. These results demonstrate how the Empore™ EZ-Trace provides a clean, efficient, and reproducible extraction.

CDS Analytical

465 Limestone Rd, Oxford, PA 19363

tel. (800) 541-6593

Contact: Michael Apsokardu

Phone Number: 610-998-4072

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