Quantitation of trace phenolic compounds in water by trap‐and‐release membrane introduction mass spectrometry after acetylation

Trap‐and‐release membrane introduction mass spectrometry (T&R‐MIMS) with a removable direct insertion membrane probe (DIMP) is used to quantitate a variety of trace phenolic compounds in water after acetylation. The procedure is simple, rapid and robust, producing linear and reproducible responses for phenolic compounds with varying polarities. Acetylation minimizes the polarity effects of ring substituents; hence, T&R‐MIMS of the acetylated phenols provides lower and more uniform limits of detection (LODs) (2–15 µg L^?1) than those obtained by direct T&R‐MIMS analysis of the non‐derivatized phenols. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.