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Method 522 - Determination of 1,4-Dioxane in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) with Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM)
Citation:
MUNCH, J. W. AND P. GRIMMETT. Method 522 - Determination of 1,4-Dioxane in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) with Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this research effort is to develop analytical methods to be used to measure the occurrence of priority water pollutants in the nation's drinking water supplies. To accomplish this objective, ORD/NERL scientists must first coordinate with staff from the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) to identify the most appropriate chemical contaminants for which analytical methods need to be developed, and then ORD/NERL must develop, and demonstrate the applicability of, new or improved analytical methods that are specific, sensitive, and practical enough for application in commercial laboratories as part of the UCMR monitoring efforts.
Description:
1,4-Dioxane has been identified as a probable human carcinogen and an emerging contaminant in drinking water. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) has developed a method for the analysis of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water at ng/L concentrations. The method consists of an activated carbon solid-phase extraction of 500-mL or 100-mL water samples using dichloromethane as the elution solvent. The extracts are analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. In the NERL laboratory, recovery of 1,4-dioxane ranged from 94-110% in fortified laboratory reagent water (LRW), and recoveries of 96-102% were demonstrated for fortified drinking water samples. The relative standard deviations for replicate analyses were less than 6% at concentrations exceeding the minimum reporting level.