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ANALYSIS OF VOLATILES AND SEMIVOLATILES BY DIRECT AQUEOUS INJECTION
Citation:
Pyle, S M. AND A B. Marcus. ANALYSIS OF VOLATILES AND SEMIVOLATILES BY DIRECT AQUEOUS INJECTION. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS 76(1):17-29, (1999).
Description:
Direct aqueous injection analysis (DAI) with gas chromatographic separation and ion trap mass spectral detection was used to analyze aqueous samples for g/L levels of 54 volatile and semivolatile compounds, and problematic non-purgeables and non-extractables. The method reduces sample handling, increases sample throughput, and avoids the use of solvents ordinarily required for solvent exchange and analyte pre-concentration which would otherwise require disposal as hazardous waste. Aqueous standards containing volatile and semivolatile organic compounds were directly injected in 0.1-uL volumes into a 0.22 mm id capillary column interfaced to an ion trap mass spectrometer. Peak shape was adequate for quantification, and method detection limits for replicate injections (n=7) ranged from 3 to 20,000 ug/L, averaging 100 ug/L. Precision (%RSD) was calculated at each level for each compound and averaged 12% at the highest level. Analysis of domestic tap water readily revealed the presence of three trihalomethanes (chloroform, dichlorobromomethane, and chlorodibromomethand) at the low-ug/L level. Analysis of an aqueous sample from a hazardous waste site monitored the presence of various volatile and semivolatile compounds at mg/L levels.