GC analysis of trihalomethanes in drinking water - A rapid and direct quantitative method

The determination of disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes has become extremely important because of the current regulatory testing requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The difficulties and expenses involved in regulatory testing require a low-cost, simple, quantitative test for these compounds. The authors developed a gas chromatography method using electron-capture detection for measuring trihalomethanes in drinking water without solvent extraction or concentration steps. The assay allowed the determination of chloroform, dichlorobromomethane, chlorodibromomethane, and bromoform.