Standard addition method for the determination of pharmaceutical residues in drinking water by SPE-LC-MS/MS.

The study of the occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical compounds in drinking or waste water processes has become very popular in recent years. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool often used to determine pharmaceutical residues at trace level in water. However, many steps may disrupt the analytical procedure and bias the results. A list of 27 environmentally relevant molecules, including various therapeutic classes and (cardiovascular, veterinary and human antibiotics, neuroleptics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones and other miscellaneous pharmaceutical compounds), was selected. In this work, a method was developed using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and solid-phase extraction to determine the concentration of the 27 targeted pharmaceutical compounds at the nanogram per litre level. The matrix effect was evaluated from water sampled at different treatment stages. Conventional methods with external calibration and internal standard correction were compared with the standard addition method (SAM). An accurate determination of pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water was obtained by the SAM associated with UPLC-MS/MS. The developed method was used to evaluate the occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical compounds in some drinking water treatment plants in the west of France.

Analysis and occurrence of odorous disinfection by-products from chlorination of amino acids in three different drinking water treatment plants and corresponding distribution networks.

Previous studies have established that odorous and stable chloraldimines are formed during amino acid chlorination in drinking water treatment. In order to identify at low level (10(-8) M) the presence of these odorous disinfection by-products in drinking water matrixes an analytical method was developed by using head space apparatus (HS) combined with a sorbent trap system linked to a GC with a mass spectrometer detector (HS/Trap/GC/MS). The analyses were carried out in three different drinking water supplies from the Paris area, during the four seasons. Free amino acids were monitored at the inlet of the plant. The odorous disinfection by-products were analyzed at the outlet of each drinking water treatment plant and the different distribution networks were connected to the corresponding plant. The results confirmed that the odorous chloraldimines are produced during chlorination of free amino acids in three different matrixes in different seasons throughout the year (N-chloroisobutaldimine; N-chloromethyl-2-butaldimine; N-chloromethyl-3-butaldimine (6-10 nM). The analytical method (HS/Trap/GC/MS) used to monitor odorous disinfection by-products appeared to be adapted for the detection of these by-products at nM level.

Co-current and counter-current spraying of odour-neutralizing products.

A lab-scale pilot plant was developed in order to measure the efficiency of some odour-neutralizing products for the removal of odorous compounds. Experiments were carried out on gas and liquid flows in two configurations: co-current and counter-current, which differ in the values of the drop diameter and the contact time, leading to different behaviours between highly water-soluble compounds like ammonia and other compounds like sulphurous compounds. Mass transfer was shown to be modified by the presence of neutralizing products as a result of their pH and surface tension. Few chemical reactions, except for acidic or basic ones, could be highlighted. Olfactometric analyses were carried out and showed that, because of possible confusion between odours caused by the neutralizing product and odours caused by the by-products, it was difficult to conclude that an obvious relation existed between physico-chemical and olfactometric efficiencies.

Investigation of the mechanism of chlorination of glyphosate and glycine in water.

The chlorination reactions of glyphosate and glycine in water were thoroughly studied. Utilizing isotopically enriched (13C and 15N) samples of glycine and glyphosate and 1H, 13C, 31P, and 15N NMR spectroscopy we were able to identify all significant terminal chlorination products of glycine and glyphosate, and show that glyphosate degradation closely parallels that of glycine. We have determined that the C1 carboxylic acid carbon of glycine/glyphosate is quantitatively converted to CO2 upon chlorination. The C2 methylene carbon of glycine/glyphosate is converted to CO2 and methanediol. The relative abundance of these two products is a function of the pH of the chlorination reactions. Under near neutral to basic reaction conditions (pH 6-9), CO2 is the predominant product, whereas, under acidic reaction conditions (pH < 6) the formation of methanediol is favored. The C3 phosphonomethylene carbon of glyphosate is quantitatively converted to methanediol under all conditions tested. The nitrogen atom of glycine/glyphosate is transformed into nitrogen gas and nitrate, and the phosphorus moiety of glyphosate produces phosphoric acid upon chlorination. In addition to these terminal chlorination products, a number of labile intermediates were also identified including N-chloromethanimine, N-chloroaminomethanol, and cyanogen chloride. The chlorination products identified in this study are not unique to glyphosate and are similar to those expected from chlorination of amino acids, proteins, peptides, and many other natural organic matters present in drinking water.

Impact of UV-irradiation on the formation of odorous chloroaldimines in drinking water.

In order to explain some of the possible origins of an odor episode which took place in a drinking water supply in the region of Paris (France), the impact of disinfection on the formation of odorous by-products was investigated. We have previously established that very odorous and stable chloroaldimines are formed during amino acid chlorination in conditions relevant to those of drinking water treatment. As chlorination is preceded by a UV-irradiation step, we examined here the impact of this irradiation on the formation of chloroaldimines. Irradiation (30 m W cm(-2)) of various amino acids (glycine, valine, phenylalanine) and peptides (Phe-Gly-Gly-Phe, Phe-Ala) led to a degradation of the compounds but it was negligible at the doses applied in drinking water supplies. As peptides were concerned, contrary to what we previously expected, the degradation did not involve the peptidic bond breaking: irradiation induces therefore no increase in the quantity of free amino acids, precursors of odorous chloroaldimines. However chlorination of peptides (Phe-Ala-Ala-Val, Phe-Gly-Gly-Phe and Ala-Phe) showed that chloroaldimines are also probably formed during combined amino acids chlorination.

Treatment of odorous sulphur compounds by chemical scrubbing with hydrogen peroxide--stabilisation of the scrubbing solution.

To slow down the hydrogen peroxide decomposition in basic aqueous conditions, the addition of stabilizers and co-stabilizers in the scrubbing solution was investigated. Results found with sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) were quite promising but several problems still remained. Based on these observations, this study focused on the research of a better stabilizer. Several ways were investigated: the use of silicate solutions employed in pulp industries, the addition of co-stabilizers to sodium silicate, or the use of an another stabilizer (the poly-alpha-hydroxyacrylic acid). Experiments revealed that the poly-alpha-hydroxyacrylic acid is the best stabilizing compound.

Effect of chlorination on the formation of odorous disinfection by-products.

In order to explain some of the possible origins of an odor episode, which took place in a drinking water supply in the region of Paris (France), the chlorination reaction of some simple amino acids (valine, leucine and phenylalanine) was investigated. In addition to the commonly admitted intermediates and products of this reaction (monochloramines, aldehydes and nitriles), the formation of far less documented products was observed: N-chloroaldimines which proved to present particular properties. These products appeared to remain relatively stable in water, especially at low temperatures, and can be formed under disinfection conditions relevant to those of drinking water treatment (i.e. at high chlorination rates). N-chloroaldimines also present strong swimming pool odors with a floral background, with odor detection thresholds close to 1microgL(-1) and even less. These values were established with a laboratory-made protocol. These products appeared more odorous than the corresponding aldehydes, known for a long time as potent odor causing chemicals and which have previously been involved in some odor problems in the field of drinking water treatment. N-chloroaldimines are consequently products of interest for water treaters and are now suspected to be a source of off-flavor concerns among consumers. We have therefore developed an analytical method (gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry) to demonstrate the presence of some of these compounds in water at concentrations close to their odor detection thresholds. Considering the levels of amino acids that can be reached in water, this level of chloroaldimines concentration could be obtained under certain pollution conditions.

Odorous products of the chlorination of phenylalanine in water: formation, evolution, and quantification.

To explain some of the possible origins of an odor episode which took place in a drinking water supply in the region of Paris (France), the chlorination reaction in water of phenylalanine was studied. This amino acid was chosen for first experiments because of its physical and chemical particular properties. Changes in the different byproducts formed were followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) over a period of time. N-chlorophenylalanine (mono-N-chlorinated amino acid) and then phenylacetaldehyde were the major products formed for the lower chlorine to nitrogen molar ratios. For Cl/N molar ratios of 1 and beyond, phenylacetonitrile and N-chlorophenylacetaldimine appeared and increased with the chlorination level. N-chlorophenylacetaldimine was quantified by using its difference of stability in various organic solvents. Our attention was first directed to the monochlorinated derivative but further examination indicated that it could not be responsible for odor troubles: it dissociated before reaching the consumer's tap and it was produced at consistently low yields under conditions relevant to drinking water treatment. On the contrary, chloroaldimine appeared to be a very odorous and water-stable product: it strongly smells of swimming pool with a floral background. The odor detection threshold is about 3 microg x L(-1) and it can persist for more than one week at 18 degrees C. It is now suspected of being a source of off-flavor concerns among consumers.