A comparative study of polychlorinated alkanes as standards for the determination of C10–C13 polychlorinated paraffines in fish samples

Fish samples of different origins have been analysed with short column gas chromatography–electron capture negative ion/mass spectrometry (SCGC/ECNI–MS). The influence of standards composed from different polychlorinated alkanes on the quantification of short chain polychlorinated paraffines (CP) was studied. Concentration values varied very differently with the response of the standards depending on their chlorination degree. The results show, that technical CP products should not be used as standard in most cases, because the composition of polychlorinated alkanes in fish is different from sample to sample.