Rapid determination of volatile organic compounds in environmentally hazardous wastewaters using solid phase microextraction

Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) was applied to the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in wastewater discharges. Environmentally significant samples, typical of those subject to regulatory control, were examined and included discharges from pharmaceutical, petrochemical and municipal sewerage treatment plants. Analysis was performed using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) following sampling using headspace or immersion SPME. Fused silica fibres, coated with either poly(dimethylsiloxane) or poly(acrylate), were examined to determine VOC which included chloroform, saturated carboxylic acids, alkylbenzenes, phenol, benzonitrile and benzofuran. Detection limits varied from 10 to 170 ng/ml and satisfactory relative standard deviations (%RSD < 10) were obtained. For most samples, headspace sampling was preferred to immersion. SPME was found to be a useful technique for the rapid screening of wastewaters for VOC.