Analysis of Unknown Organic Pollutants in Sewage by Solid-Phase Extraction Combined with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

A rapid, simple, and reliable method of solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) is developed for the analysis of a wide range of polarity of unknown organic pollutants in sewage. Wastewater samples are extracted by passing them through disposable C(18) cartridges, and the extracts are then analyzed by GC-MS. Different SPE parameters for ten organic compounds in the list of priority pollutants suggested by the China Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are studied, and their breakthrough volumes are determined. Extraction recoveries for the tested compounds are greater than 60%, except the recovery of 1,2-dichloroethane is 48%. The relative standard deviations are less than 7.8% (n = 3). The developed approach is successfully applied for the identification of organic components in a sewage sample. Over 220 organic pollutants are identified, with 5 of these present in the list of priority pollutants suggested by the U.S. EPA and 4 from the list by the China EPA.

Application of the monoterpane ratio (MTR) to distinguish marine oils from terrigenous oils and infer depositional environment in northern Tarim Basin, China

“…Another cyclic monoterpenoid hydrocarbon (1,1,2,3-TeMCHx) was identified by comparing its mass spectrum and retention index with those reported in the literature (Fig. 2) (Gao et al, 2004;Zhang et al, 2010a;Wang, 2011). Cis-1-M-4-iPCHx, (1S)-(À)-trans-pinane, (1R)-(+)-trans-pinane, (1R)-(+)-cis-pinane and isocampane were absent or present in extremely low concentrations which were below the detection level.…”

Determination of anxiolytic veterinary drugs from biological fertilizer blood meal using liquid chromatography high‐resolution mass spectrometry

“…SPE. SPE has been successfully utilized to extract pesticides, veterinary drugs and other organic pollutants from liquid matrices, such as soft drinks, water, biological fluids and sewage (Wang et al, 2003;Gao et al, 2004;Li et al, 2009;Gilbert-López et al, 2010). Oasis® MCX, a mixed-mode (cation exchange/ reversed-phase) sorbent that provides high selectivity and sensitivity for basic compounds, was chosen to separate the basic analytes in the liquid blood meal.…”

SPE–GC–MS for the sampling and determination of unmetabolized styrene in urine☆

“…A 5% methanol mixture in water has been found suitable to eliminate matrix compounds without affecting analyte recoveries [32,33]. Therefore, in this study, the presence, or not, of 5% of methanol in the washing solvent was tested.…”