Simultaneous determination of low molecule benzotriazoles and benzotriazole UV stabilizers in wastewater by ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction followed by GC–MS detection

Abstract

A rapid, sensitive, economically and ecologically friendly method based on one-step ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction and in situ derivatization followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of low molecular benzotriazoles and benzotriazole-based ultraviolet filters was developed. The optimized method allows quantification of benzotriazole, 4-methylbenzotriazole, 5-methylbenzotriazole; 5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′-tert-butyl-5′-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzortriazole and 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl)benzotriazole in municipal and industrial (dairy) wastewater. The method was validated using real influent and effluent wastewater and samples at various stages of the purification process. Relative recoveries obtained using wastewater as sample matrix were between 77 and 137%, method limits of detection from 0.001 to 0.035 µg/L, method limits of quantification from 0.003 to 0.116 µg/L, the repeatability expressed by the coefficient of variation did not exceed 12%. The use of the method for the determination of tested compounds in municipal and industrial wastewater showed their presence in most of the tested samples, in concentrations from LoD to 6.110 µg/L. The conducted studies of samples from municipal wastewater treatment plant located in north-east Poland showed that the effectiveness of benzotriazole removal by this plant wasfrom 29 to 84%. The load of tested compounds released into the environment by this facility ranges from 2 to 269 mg/day/1000 inhabitants.

USAEME-GC/MS Method for Easy and Sensitive Determination of Nine Bisphenol Analogues in Water and Wastewater

“…Both chloroform and chlorobenzene were previously used as extractants in BPA isolation by liquid–liquid microextraction [ 11 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Chlorobenzene has, so far, only been used a few times in USAEME for the determination of benzotriazoles, triazine herbicides in environmental water [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]. For BPs, the effect obtained for these two solvents is very similar.…”

Selected Micropollutants Removal from Municipal Wastewater

“…Its derivatives are also used as UV stabilizers in paints, plastics, sunscreen preparations and films. It is also used as an additive to petroleum products (hydraulic fluids, lubricants) [33]. BZT and its methylated analogues (tolyltriazole, TTri) are used as corrosion inhibitors.…”

“…Other studies were focused on applying biological processes as a potential method of BZTs degradation. Struk-Sokołowska et al [33] present the results of a study on quantitative changes of BZT in a sequential batch reactor (SBR). The work cycle of the SBR consisted of the following six phases: filling (40 min), mixing (dephosphatation -20 min), nitrification and oxidation of organic compounds (300 min), denitrification (30 or 60 min), se ling and decantation (40 min).…”

Domestic wastewater treatment by membrane bioreactor system and optimization using response surface methodology

“…Before the GC-MS analysis, liquid-liquid extraction is performed on a 100-mL filtered effluent using 70 mL dichloromethane (GC-MS grade, Merck) (Zhang et al 2016). This solvent is selected because it is usually used by previous researchers for effluent analysis using GC-MS (Chen et al 2019;Kotowska et al 2021). All the glassware is washed with acetone prior to the procedure.…”