Description of a Method for Automated Determination of Organic Pollutants in Water

Abstract

A method for automated determination of 73 organic pollutants in water is described. The compounds, which are key representatives for different types of pollutants are determined in two chromatographic runs. 11 halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons are determined using capillary GC equipped with electron capture detector. The remaining pollutants, representing both basic/neutral and acidic compounds are determined by using GC/MS combined with an automated search computer program. The majority of the compounds have a limit of quantitation at 1 ig/1 or lower. The precision of the GC method is in the range of 1.8% to 4.3%, with an average of 3.2%. The precision for compounds determined by GC/MS is in the range of 1% to 38%, with an average of 14%.

So far 30 water samples representing both polluted fjord areas as well as effluents from municipal treatment plants, refineries, petrochemical industries and metallurgic industries have been analysed. The method has been found to be an interesting alternative to traditional methods for monitoring water quality, and has demonstrated its potential both as a screening method for detecting “hot spots” as well as for routine monitoring of specific hazardous compounds.