ABSTRACT
This paper describes the first approach that simultaneously quantifies four polar, water-soluble organophosphorus herbicides, i.e., glyphosate, glufosinate, fosamine and ethephon, at nanogram levels in environmental waters. The target herbicides were separated completely by ion chromatography (IC) on a polymer anion-exchange column, Dionex IonPac AS16 (4.0 mm x 250 mm), with 30 mM citric acid flowing at 0.70 mL min(-1) as the eluent. On-line inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) using a quadrupole mass spectrometer was employed as a sensitive and selective detector of the effluents. Various parameters affecting the separation and detection were systematically examined and optimized. Detection limits of the herbicides achieved with the proposed IC/ICP-MS method were 1.1-1.4 microg L(-1) (as compound) based on a 500-microL sample injection. Matrix anions, metal ions, phosphate, polyphosphates, non-polar and other polar organophosphorus pesticides showed no interference. The developed method was validated using reservoir water, treated water and NEWater samples spiked at the level of 10-25 microg L(-1) with satisfactory recoveries (95-109%). It is applicable to the simultaneous determination of microg L(-1) concentrations of the herbicides in polluted water.
Subject(s)
Herbicides/analysis , Pesticide Residues/analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Water/analysis , Aminobutyrates/analysis , Calibration , Carbamates/analysis , Chromatography, Ion Exchange , Glycine/analogs & derivatives , Glycine/analysis , Indicators and Reagents , Organophosphorus Compounds/analysis , Reference Standards , Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization , GlyphosateABSTRACT
Quantitative determination of trace glyphosate and phosphate in waters was achieved by coupling ion chromatography (IC) separation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. The separation of glyphosate and phosphate on a polymer anion-exchange column (Dionex IonPac AS16, 4.0 mm x 250 mm) was obtained by eluting them with 20 mM citric acid at 0.50 mL min(-1), and the analytes were detected directly and selectively by ICP-MS at m/z = 31. Parameters affecting their chromatographic behaviors and ICP-MS characteristics were systematically examined. Based on a 500-microL sample injection volume, the detection limits were 0.7 microgL(-1) for both glyphosate and phosphate, and the calibrations were linear up to 400 microgL(-1). Polyphosphates, aminomethylphosphonic acid (the major metabolite of glyphosate), non-polar and other polar phosphorus-containing pesticides showed different chromatographic behaviors from the analytes of interest and therefore did not interference. The determination was also interference free from the matrix anions (nitrate, nitrite, sulphate, chloride, etc.) and metallic ions. The analysis of certified reference material, drinking water, reservoir water and Newater yielded satisfactory results with spiked recoveries of 97.1-107.0% and relative standard deviations of < or = 7.4% (n = 3). Compared to other reported methods for glyphosate and phosphate, the developed IC-ICP-MS method is sensitive and simple, and does not require any chemical derivatization, sample preconcentration and mobile phase conductivity suppression.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, Ion Exchange/methods , Glycine/analogs & derivatives , Mass Spectrometry/methods , Phosphates/analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Glycine/analysis , Isoxazoles , Organophosphonates/analysis , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tetrazoles , Water Supply/analysis , GlyphosateABSTRACT
Based on selective sorption of bromide, bromoacetic acids (BAA) and bromomethanes on solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, a sensitive and convenient method was developed for the determination of bromate in waters by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dionex OnGuard Ag and reversed-phase (RP) cartridges were tested for retention characteristics for bromide, BAA and bromomethanes. When a sample acidified with nitric acid was passed through an RP cartridge, BAA and bromomethanes were retained, afterwards bromide was absorbed as a precipitate of silver bromide and bromate was unretained when the nearly neutral sample passed a combination of Ag and H cartridges. After SPE pretreatment the recovery of bromate was 96-106%, and bromide remaining in the aqueous phase was found to be less than 0.06 microg L(-1) when the original bromide concentrations were less than 5 mg L(-1). Effectiveness of stacked Ag and H cartridges in removing bromide from chloride-containing samples was also examined. Common cations and other anions did not interfere with bromate determination. The detection limit for bromate is 57 ng L(-1). This method has been applied to analyse waters from various sources, and the recovery of the spiked bromate was in the range of 92-107%.
ABSTRACT
Under acidic conditions tellurium(IV) formed a complex with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC). The tellurium(IV) complex was completely retained on a non-polar Isolute silica-based octadecyl (C(18)) sorbent-containing solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, while the uncomplexed Te(VI) passed through the cartridge and remained as a free species in the solution. Only partial Te(IV) was retained on the SPE cartridge for samples without addition of APDC. On the basis of different retention behaviours of the complexed Te(IV) and uncomplexed Te(VI), a simple and highly sensitive method is proposed for the determination of total tellurium and Te(VI) by SPE separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. The Te(IV) concentration was calculated as the difference between total tellurium and Te(VI) concentrations. The detection limit (3 sigma) is 3 ng L(-1) tellurium. Factors affecting the separation and detection of tellurium species were investigated. Coexisting ions did not show significant interferences with the Te(IV)-APDC complex retention and the subsequent ICP-MS detection of Te. The method has been successfully applied to the tellurium speciation analysis in waters with spiked recoveries for Te(IV) and Te(VI) of 86.0-108% and 87.1-97.4%, respectively.
Subject(s)
Mass Spectrometry/methods , Pyrrolidines/chemistry , Quaternary Ammonium Compounds/chemistry , Tellurium/analysis , Tellurium/isolation & purification , Thiocarbamates/chemistry , Sensitivity and Specificity , Water/chemistry , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
A simple and novel flow injection method for the determination of gaseous SO(2) is described based on gas permeation denuder (GPD) online sampling and preconcentration. The GPD is easily prepared with poly(vinylidene) difluoride microporous membrane as gas permeable material and two Perspex blocks with smooth and flat interface and rectangular engraved channels of mirror image. The sample gas is on one side of the membrane and phosphate buffer of pH 7.0 as the absorbing solution is on the other side. Gaseous SO(2) permeates partially through the gas permeable membrane and dissolves in the absorbing solution. After preconcentration for 5.0 or 8.0 min, the solution is injected into the flow of 5.0 x 10(-4) mol L(-1) 5,5'-dithiobis(2,2'-dinitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) in 0.025 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer. The resulting product formed between DTNB and absorbed SO(2) is spectrophotometrically monitored at 410 nm with a charge coupled device (CCD) fiber optic spectrometer. The calibration graphs for preconcentration of 5.0 and 8.0 min are linear up to 4.0 and 3.2 mg m(-3) with detection limits of 50 and 35 micro g m(-3), respectively. The corresponding analysis speeds are 8.5 and 6 samples h(-1). The method is selective and just suffer from interference of hydrogen sulfide at higher than 1% of SO(2) level (in m/V) with an error >+10%. The assay just uses cheap and common membrane and reagents and shows potential application in the monitoring of atmospheric SO(2).
ABSTRACT
A novel and simple method for inorganic antimony speciation is described based on selective solid phase extraction (SPE) separation of antimony(III) and highly sensitive inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection of total antimony and antimony(V) in the aqueous phase of the sample. Non-polar SPE cartridges, such as the Isolute silica-based octyl (C8) sorbent-containing cartridge, selectively retained the Sb(III) complex with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC), while the uncomplexed Sb(V) remained as a free species in the solution and passed through the cartridge. The Sb(III) concentration was calculated as the difference between total antimony and Sb(V) concentrations. The detection limit was 1 ng L(-1) antimony. Factors affecting the separation and detection of antimony species were investigated. Acidification of samples led to partial or complete retention of Sb(V) on C8 cartridge. Foreign ions tending to complex with Sb(III) or APDC did not interfere with the retention behavior of the Sb(III)-APDC complex. This method has been successfully applied to antimony speciation of various types of water samples.