Approaches for the simultaneous extraction of tetrabromobisphenol A, tetrachlorobisphenol A, and related phenolic compounds from sewage sludge and sediment samples based on matrix solid-phase dispersion.

A procedure based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) for sample preparation in the analysis of some bromophenols and halogenated bisphenols in sediments and sludges has been developed. For the first time ever, MSPD was applied for the extraction of organic contaminants from sediment and sewage sludge samples. The influence of experimental conditions on the yield of the extraction process and on the efficiency of the built-in cleanup step was thoroughly evaluated. Analysis of the extracts was performed by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis coupled with photodiode array ultraviolet detection, using large-volume sample stacking injection based on the electroosmotic flow pump as an on-column preconcentration technique. The method was applied to the analysis of real sludges from urban sewage treatment plants, as well as river and marine sediment samples.