Ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for rapid analysis of trace organic contaminants in water

Chemistry Central Journal

Tarun Anumol¹  Sylvain Merel¹  Bradley O Clarke²  Shane A Snyder¹ 

[1] Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Harshbarger 108, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0011, USA

[2] School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, 100 LaTrobe St, Melbourne, 3000, Australia

关键词: Water quality;    Tandem mass spectrometry;    Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography;    Solid-phase extraction;    PFC;    Glucocorticoid;    Personal-care product;    Pharmaceutical;    Trace organic contaminant;   

Others  :  787889
DOI  :  10.1186/1752-153X-7-104

 received in 2013-04-09, accepted in 2013-05-27,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

The widespread utilization of organic compounds in modern society and their dispersion through wastewater have resulted in extensive contamination of source and drinking waters. The vast majority of these compounds are not regulated in wastewater outfalls or in drinking water while trace amounts of certain compounds can impact aquatic wildlife. Hence it is prudent to monitor these contaminants in water sources until sufficient toxicological data relevant to humans becomes available. A method was developed for the analysis of 36 trace organic contaminants (TOrCs) including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, steroid hormones (androgens, progestins, and glucocorticoids), personal care products and polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) using a single solid phase extraction (SPE) technique with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The method was applied to a variety of water matrices to demonstrate method performance and reliability.

Results

UHPLC-MS/MS in both positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) modes was employed to achieve optimum sensitivity while reducing sample analysis time (<20 min) compared with previously published methods. The detection limits for most compounds was lower than 1.0 picogram on the column while reporting limits in water ranged from 0.1 to 15 ng/L based on the extraction of a 1 L sample and concentration to 1 mL. Recoveries in ultrapure water for most compounds were between 90-110%, while recoveries in surface water and wastewater were in the range of 39-121% and 38-141% respectively. The analytical method was successfully applied to analyze samples across several different water matrices including wastewater, groundwater, surface water and drinking water at different stages of the treatment. Among several compounds detected in wastewater, sucralose and TCPP showed the highest concentrations.

Conclusion

The proposed method is sensitive, rapid and robust; hence it can be used to analyze a large variety of trace organic compounds in different water matrixes.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Anumol et al.; licensee Chemistry Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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