Determination of trace levels of haloacetic acids and perchlorate in drinking water by ion chromatography with direct injection

Disinfection by products of haloacetic acids and perchlorate pose significant health risks, even at low microg/l levels in drinking water. A new method for the simultaneous determination of nine haloacetic acids (HAAs) and perchlorate as well as some common anions in one run with ion chromatography was developed. The HAAs tested included mono-, di-, trichloroacetic acids, mono, di-, tribromoacetic acids, bromochloroacetic acid, dibromochloroacetic acid, and bromodichloroacetic acid. Two high-capacity anion-exchange columns, a carbonate-selective column and a hydroxide-selective hydrophilic one, were used for the investigation. With the carbonate-selective column, the nine HAAs as well as fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and sulfate could be well separated and determined in one run. With the very hydrophilic column and a gradient elution of sodium hydroxide, methanol and deionized water, the nine HAAs, fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate as well as perchlorate could be simultaneously determined in one run within 34 min. The detection limits for HAAs were between 1.11 and 9.32 microg/l. For perchlorate, it was 0.60 microg/l.