Solid-phase microextraction with temperature-programmed desorption for the analysis of iodination disinfection byproducts.

Abstract

An analytical approach for the determination of chlorination and iodination disinfection byproducts based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was developed. Solid-phase microextraction presents a simple, rapid, sensitive, and solvent-free approach to sample preparation in which analytes in either air or water matrixes are extracted into the polymeric coating of an optical fiber. Analytes are subsequently thermally desorbed in the injection port of a gas chromatograph for separation, detection, and quantitation. Thermal degradation of iodoform was observed during desorption from a polyacrylate fiber in initial GC/MS and GC/ECD experiments. Experiments were designed to determine SPME conditions that would allow quantification without significant degradation of analytes. Isothermal and temperature-programmed thermal desorptions were evaluated for efficacy in transferring analytes with wide-ranging volatilities and thermal stabilities into chromatographic analysis columns. A temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) (120-200 degrees C at 5 degrees C/min with an on-column injection port or 150-200 degrees C at 25 degrees C/min with a split/splitless injection port) was able to efficiently remove analytes with wide-ranging volatilities without causing thermal degradation. The SPME-TPD method was linear over 2-3 orders of magnitude with an electron capture detector and detection limits were in the submicrogram per liter range. Precision and detection limits for selected trihalomethanes were comparable to those of EPA method 551. Extraction efficiencies were not affected by the presence of 10 mg/L soap, 15 mg/L sodium iodide, and 6000 mg/L sodium thiosulfate. The SPME-TPD technique was applied to the determination of iodination disinfection byproducts from individual precursor compounds using GC/MS and to the quantitation of iodoform at trace levels in a water recycle system using GC/ECD.