Dioxins & Furans Analysis & Sampling Support

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) also known as dioxins and furans are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic organic pollutants listed in the Stockholm Convention. Of the 210 possible dioxin and furan structures, 17 with chlorines in the in the 2,3,7, and 8 positions are considered the most toxic and are reported individually.

Dioxins were never manufactured intentionally. They are formed as by-products from many sources including combustion of chlorine containing substances, metal refining, herbicide manufacture (Agent Orange), PCB manufacture, chlorine bleaching of pulp and paper and more. Their persistence, bioaccumulative nature and toxicity at extremely low levels means they have been the focus of continued remediation efforts spanning decades.

Dioxins (PCDD)

Furans (PCDF)

2,3,7,8 Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD)

2,3,7,8 Tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF)

1,2,3,7,8 Pentachlorodibenzodioxin (PeCDD)

1,2,3,7,8 Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF)

1,2,3,4,7,8 Hexachlorodibenzodioxin (HxCDD)

2,3,4,7,8 PeCDF

1,2,3,6,7,8 HxCDD

1,2,3,4,7,8 Hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF)

1,2,3,7,8,9 HxCDD

1,2,3,6,7,8 HxCDF

1,2,3,4,6,7,8 Heptachlorodibenzodioxin (HpCDD)

1,2,3,7,8,9 HxCDF

Octachlorodibenzodioxin (OCDD)

2,3,4,6,7,8 HxCDF

Total TCDD

1,2,3,4,6,7,8 Heptachlorodibenzofuran (HpCDF)

Total PeCDD

1,2,3,4,7,8,9 HpCDF

Total HxCDD

Octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDF)

Total HpCDD

Total TCDF

 

Total PeCDF

 

Total HxCDF

 

Total HpCDF

 

Why are dioxins still an issue?

2,3,7-8-substituted dioxins and furans are toxic at very levels requiring ultratrace measurements starting in the parts per quadrillion (ppq) range. They are very stable and hydrophobic leading to partitioning and long-term entrainment in sediments.

As a highly regulated contaminant, accredited dioxin measurement is required in multiple cases

  • Compliance monitoring in drinking water, waste for NPDES, stack emissions, soil disposal and more
  • Contaminated sites monitoring and remediation, especially in sites next to historic industrial activity, Superfund sites and more
  • Brownfields and offshore redevelopment. Any redevelopment of a site at or adjacent to historic contamination can result in a new dioxin issue due to exposure of the sediments making them bioavailable. Dioxin monitoring can hence be a major requirement for offshore wind development, brownfields redevelopment and more
  • Food and feed testing
  • Ongoing ambient testing in natural resource damage assessments and total maximum daily load (TMDL) including fish tissue measurement

Case Study Method 16130 and GC-MS/MS Innovation

With the declining availability of magnetic sector mass spectrometers, the EPA needed alternatives for dioxin analysis. We worked with the EPA and two instrument vendors to develop and validate a GC-MS/MS method that was exactly equivalent to the promulgated reference method 1613B. This method, titled SGS AXYS ATM 16130 has been reviewed by the EPA and found to be equivalent the 1613B. The method is now promulgated and available in the federal register.

Click here to download the method document. Please contact us for any questions on SGS AXYS ATM 16130 using the contact information in the method document.

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Why SGS for Ultratrace Analysis?

  • POPs and emerging contaminant expertise: Passive and active sampling projects require experienced analysts and scientists with particular sampling experience. 
  • Support for samplers including cleaning, loading and more
  • Customized Analytical Plans: Tailored testing protocols to address unique project challenges including custom performance reference compounds (PRCs)

SGS Dioxin Measurement

SGS has conducted dioxins/furans analysis since 1989 and continues to lead. In 1996, SGS was one of a small handful of laboratories to meet the criteria of a World Health Organization study of human plasma and milk analysis for chlorinated dioxins and furans and dioxin-like PCBs

  • With our high capacity stable of over 15 magnetic sector and tandem mass spectrometers, SGS offers best in class capacity and turnaround time for all your projects
  • We are especially battle tested on large, complex remediation and redevelopment projects such as work in the Passaic River superfund sites where our attention to detail on complex samples, high capacity, and technical and project management expertise has meant consistent data and service quality in very challenging circumstances
  • Our experience and data quality framework provide data of unparalleled defensibility for high-importance litigation and remediation projects
  • Our center of excellence lab specializes in low-level tissue and serum monitoring in addition to other routine matrices and wrote the alternate test method SGS AXYS ATM 16130 for dioxins and furans by GC-MS/MS
  • We are experts in the highly specialized world of stack sample testing, providing consistent and high-quality service from XAD cleaning, trap rentals and Method 23 analysis. Method 23 was extensively updated in 2023 with requirements that increased the complexity of the test. SGS was one of the first labs to transition successfully to the new M23.
  • With unique co-extractions and sophisticated multiplexing with PCBs, pesticides and more we can generate hundreds of POPs measurements at low detection limits from a single, limited sample

Methods Supported at SGS

Method

Attributes

Matrices

EPA 1613B

Reference isotope dilution method

Drinking water, non-potable water, soils/sediments, waste, tissue and serum

SGS AXYS ATM 16130

Newly promulgated alternate test procedure fully equivalent to EPA 1613B for isotope dilution analysis by GC-MS/MS. The modern MS/MS platforms provide excellent data quality with the higher sensitivity instruments excelling in limited sample size scenarios 

Drinking water, non-potable water, soils/sediments, waste, tissue and serum

SW-846 EPA 8290A

Office of Solid Waste isotope dilution. In most cases, 8290A and 1613B are interchangeable

 

Non-potable water, soils/sediments, waste

Method 23

Standard method for measurement of dioxins, PCBs and PAHs in stack stationary sources

Stack stationary sources (Filter, XAD, impinger and rinse)

 

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