Gas chromatography–microwave–induced plasma for the determination of halogenated hydrocarbons

Helium microwave-induced plasma (MIP) provides a stable source for atomic emission spectroscopy. Gas chromatography (GC) is a widely accepted technique for the separation and quantification of organic compounds. In this study, GC was coupled with MIP to determine traces of nonmetallic elements that are not traditionally determined by atomic emission spectroscopy. Carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and bromine were simultaneously determined by GC–MIP. Chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons have shown detection limits of 0.001, 0.007, 0.009, and 0.004 ng/s for carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and bromine, respectively. GC–MIP is a powerful analytical tool for determining both metals and nonmetals at the nanogram levels.