Application of different analytical methods for determination of volatile chlorination by-products in drinking water

Four analytical methods have been applied for the determination of volatile chlorination by-products in drinking water, based on the following techniques: liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatography-electron capture detection (LLE-GC-ECD); liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LLE-GC-MS); purge and trap-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (purge and trap-GC-MS); and headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (headspace-GC-MS). The compounds studied were trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles, haloketones, chloral hydrate and chloropicrin. LLE-GC-ECD method proved to be the most sensitive for determination of all compounds studied, followed by LLE-GC-MS. Purge and trap-GC-MS method gave good results in the case of trihalomethanes, but had high detection limits for the other volatile chlorination by-products. Headspace-GC-MS method had acceptable recoveries for trihalomethanes, but the detection limits were higher. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.