Congener group patterns of chloroparaffins in marine sediments obtained by chloride attachment chemical ionization and electron capture negative ionization

Congener group patterns of technical short chain and medium chain chloroparaffins (SCCP and MCCP) were determined by electron capture negative ionization (ECNI) and chloride attachment chemical ionization (CACI) mass spectrometry (MS). In contrast to CACI–MS, congener patterns obtained by ECNI showed always a shift to the next higher chlorinated congener and carbon chain length group. Consequently, the calculated molecular masses and chlorine contents were higher for ECNI (factor 1.10 ± 0.03 and 1.09 ± 0.03, respectively). ECNI/CACI ratios in sediment samples from the North and Baltic Sea were also slightly higher. However, a more pronounced shift of the congener pattern for a given carbon chain length to congeners with 2–3 more chlorine atoms was observed. SCCP and MCCP concentrations obtained by ECNI–MS were in the range of 8–63 ng g−1 (North Sea) and 22–149 ng g−1 dry weight (Baltic Sea). MCCP levels were highest in all samples (MCCP/SCCP factor 1.1–3.2).