Enantioselective determination of chiral 2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 132) in human milk samples by multidimensional gas chromatography/electron capture detection and by mass spectrometry.

The enantiomeric ratio (ER) of the chiral polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 132 (2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl) was determined in human milk samples. The enantiomers were separated by multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC), using different achiral columns for pre-separation and a Chirasil-Dex column for enantiomer separation, and quantified by electron-capture detection (ECD) and by mass spectrometry (MS/SIM). The determined enantiomeric ratios varied between 0.45-0.85 (enantiomeric excess: 38-8%).