This work des
cribes the first fully dire
ct
coupling of solid-phase mi
croextra
ction (SPME) with mass spe
ctrometry.An inlet system using a septum as the only interfa
cebetween the ambient and the high-va
cuum mass spe
ctrometer was
constru
cted to allow the introdu
ction of theSPME needle dire
ctly into the ionization region of a massspe
ctrometer. The PDMS-
coated fiber was then pla
cedand exposed exa
ctly between the two ionization filaments.Uniform heating of the fiber, effi
cient thermal desorption,and ele
ctron ionization of the analytes were a
chieved.Using this new analyti
cal te
chnique, here termed fiberintrodu
ction mass spe
ctrometry (FIMS), we have beenable to dete
ct and quantitate several volatile (VOC) andsemivolatile (SVOC) organi
c chemi
cals (
carbon tetra
chloride, benzene, toluene, xylenes,
chars/gamma.gif" BORDER=0 >-terpinene, diisoamylether,
chlorobenzene, and many PAHs) and two herbi
cides (Sylvex and its methyl ether) from aqueous solutionsat low-ppb to ppt levels using either SPME headspa
ce orsolution extra
ction. FIMS shows high sensitivity (ng/L),good reprodu
cibility, and a
ccura
cy, providing thereforea simple and effe
ctive approa
ch to rapid analysis of VOCand SVOC in various matrixes.