Dual Profiling of VOCs in Fire Scene Evidence Using GC-MS and LC-MS

초록

Accurate identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated at fire scenes is essential not only for deter- mining the cause of ignition but also for environmental and toxicity risk assessments. In this study, we applied gas chromatogra- phy-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in parallel and introduced pretreatment methods suitable for each analyzer to expand the detection range of VOCs. Samples collected in adsorption tubes using thermal desorption were analyzed by GC-MS, and residual samples from the same adsorption tubes were extracted with solvents and analyzed by LC-MS. As a result, a maximum of 238 compounds were detected by GC-MS analysis, and 12 types of hazardous chemicals were commonly identified in all samples. In the LC-MS analysis, a total of more than 950 organic com- pounds were detected, of which 482 compounds were commonly identified in all samples. In particular, compounds with biolog- ical accumulation and endocrine disruption potential, such as 4–octylphenol and DEHP, were detected only in the LC-MS analysis. It was confirmed that the five compounds detected in both analyses could be used as cross-validation indicators. The sequential analysis strategy using GC-MS and LC-MS with the same collection tube improved both analytical reproducibility and efficiency, demonstrating its potential for application in various fields such as chemical accident response, forensic analysis, and environmental risk assessment.

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