Electrospray Ion Chromatography−Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Oxyhalides at Sub-ppb Levels

Sulfur-Containing Carotenoids from A Marine Coral Symbiont Erythrobacter flavus Strain KJ5

Erythrobacter flavus strain KJ5 (formerly called Erythrobacter sp. strain KJ5) is a yellowish marine bacterium that was isolated from a hard coral Acropora nasuta in the Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia. The complete genome sequence of the bacterium has been reported recently. In this study, we examined the carotenoid composition of this bacterium using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ESI-MS/MS. We found that the bacterium produced sulfur-containing carotenoids, i.e., caloxanthin sulfate and nostoxanthin sulfate, as the most abundant carotenoids. A new carotenoid zeaxanthin sulfate was detected based on its ESI-MS/MS spectrum. The unique presence of sulfated carotenoids found among the currently known species of the Erythrobacter genus were discussed.

Determination of chlorate, perchlorate and bromate anions in water samples by microbore reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (SSI-MS) has recently been shown to provide similar mass spectra to those generated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for a wide range of compounds, i.e. from small inorganic species to peptides, proteins and numerous other biomolecules. However, limited information about this new ionization technique, such as sensitivity, limit of detection and quantification accuracy, has been reported. In particular, its coupling to liquid chromatography needs further development and assessment, along with the introduction of a broad range of applications.

METHODS

A high-efficiency glass pneumatic nebulizer, used for decades for sample introduction in atomic spectrometry, was used for the SSI-MS analysis of chlorate (ClO₃^- ), perchlorate (ClO₄^- ) and bromate (BrO₃^- ) anions, following their separation using reversed-phase microbore high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) operated in selected reaction monitoring mode.

RESULTS

The developed and optimized microbore HPLC/SSI-MS/MS technique exhibited low limits of detection: 5.3 ng L^-1 for chlorate, 10 ng L^-1 for perchlorate and 33.7 ng L^-1 for bromate, and provided reliable and accurate measurements of chlorate concentrations in water samples as demonstrated when comparing it with Ion Chromatography-Conductivity Detection (IC-CD), the benchmark technique for ion quantitation.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first time that the use of HPLC/SSI-MS/MS has been reported for the detection and quantitation of chlorate, perchlorate and bromate in water samples. In addition, the exceptionally low LODs achieved using SSI render the technique competitive with the established and dominating electrospray ionization technique. Here, we have demonstrated that a commercially available high-efficiency glass pneumatic nebulizer can also be used, without any further modification, as an efficient gas-phase ion source. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mass spectrometric detection of trace anions: The evolution of paired-ion electrospray ionization (PIESI)

The negative-ion mode of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is intrinsically less sensitive than the positive-ion mode. The detection and quantitation of anions can be performed in positive-ion mode by forming specific ion-pairs during the electrospray process. The paired-ion electrospray ionization (PIESI) method uses specially synthesized multifunctional cations to form positively charged adducts with the anions to be analyzed. The adducts are detected in the positive-ion mode and at higher m/z ratios to produce excellent signal-to-noise ratios and limits of detection that often are orders of magnitude better than those obtained with native anions in the negative-ion mode. This review briefly summarizes the different analytical approaches to detect and separate anions. It focuses on the recently introduced PIESI method to present the most effective dicationic, tricationic, and tetracationic reagents for the detection of singly and multiply charged anions and some zwitterions. The mechanism by which specific structural molecular architectures can have profound effects on signal intensities is also addressed.

Low-level bromate analysis in drinking water by ion chromatography with optimized suppressed conductivity cell current followed by a post-column reaction and UV/Vis detection

In the present work, a high capacity anion exchange column was used to efficiently and simultaneously separate traces of oxyhalide disinfection byproducts (DBP) anions and bromide by an ion chromatography system followed by a post-column reaction (PCR). The PCR generates in situ hydroiodic (HI) acid from the excess of potassium iodate that combines with bromate from the column effluent to form the triiodide anion detectable by UV/Vis absorbance at 352 nm. The suppressed conductivity cell current was optimized at 70 mA, with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and a 9 mM carbonate eluent. Its performance was investigated on a trace-level determination of bromate in ozonated municipal and bottled drinking water. Based on ozonated municipal drinking water matrix, the method detection limit of 0.27 μg BrO(-)(3)/L was evaluated with the Method Quantification Limit (MQL) of 0.89 μg BrO(-)(3)/L. However, in ultrapure water, a MDL of 0.015 μg BrO(-)(3)/L and a MRL of 0.052 μg BrO(-)(3)/L were achieved. The recovery for spiked municipal samples was in the range of 90%-115%.

Natural chlorate in the environment: application of a new IC-ESI/MS/MS method with a Cl¹⁸O₃-internal standard

A new ion chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ESI/MS/MS) method has been developed for quantification and confirmation of chlorate (ClO₃⁻) in environmental samples. The method involves the electrochemical generation of isotopically labeled chlorate internal standard (Cl¹⁸O₃⁻) using ¹⁸O water (H₂¹⁸O) he standard was added to all samples prior to analysis thereby minimizing the matrix effects that are associated with common ions without the need for expensive sample pretreatments. The method detection limit (MDL) for ClO₃⁻ was 2 ng L⁻¹ for a 1 mL volume sample injection. The proposed method was successfully applied to analyze ClO₃⁻ in difficult environmental samples including soil and plant leachates. The IC-ESI/MS/MS method described here was also compared to established EPA method 317.0 for ClO₃⁻ analysis. Samples collected from a variety of environments previously shown to contain natural perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) occurrence were analyzed using the proposed method and ClO₃⁻ was found to co-occur with ClO₄⁻ at concentrations ranging from < 2 ng L⁻¹ in precipitation from Texas and Puerto Rico to >500 mg kg⁻¹ in caliche salt deposits from the Atacama Desert in Chile. Relatively low concentrations of ClO₃⁻ in some natural groundwater samples (0.1 µg L⁻¹) analyzed in this work may indicate lower stability when compared to ClO₄⁻ in the subsurface. The high concentrations ClO₃⁻ in caliches and soils (3-6 orders of magnitude greater) as compared to precipitation samples indicate that ClO₃⁻, like ClO₄⁻, may be atmospherically produced and deposited, then concentrated in dry soils, and is possibly a minor component in the biogeochemical cycle of chlorine.

Recent food safety and food quality applications of CE-MS

The first on-line coupling of CE with MS detection more than 20 years ago provided a very powerful technique with a wide variety of applications, among which food analysis is of special interest, especially that dealing with food safety and food quality applications, the major topics of public interest nowadays. With this review article, we would like to show the most recent applications of CE-MS in both fields by recompiling and commenting articles published between January 2004 and October 2008. Although both applications are difficult to separate from each other, we have included in this work two main sections dealing with each specific field. Future trends will also be discussed.

Reversed flow injection spectrophotometric determination of chlorate

An interfacing has been developed to connect a spectrophotometer with a personal computer and used as a readout system for development of a simple, rapid and sensitive reversed flow injection (rFI) procedure for chlorate determination. The method is based on the oxidation of indigo carmine by chlorate ions in an acidic solution (dil. HCl) leading to the decrease in absorbance at 610 nm. The decrease in absorbance is directly related to the chlorate concentration present in the sample solutions. Optimum conditions for chlorate were examined. A linear calibration graph over the range of 0.1-0.5 mg L(-1) chlorate was established with the regression equation of Y=104.5X+1.0, r(2)=0.9961 (n=6). The detection limit (3 sigma) of 0.03 mg L(-1), the limit of quantitation (10 sigma) of 0.10 mg L(-1) and the RSD of 3.2% for 0.3 mg L(-1) chlorate (n=11) together with a sample throughput of 92 h(-1) were obtained. The recovery of the added chlorate in spiked water samples was 98.5+/-3.1%. Major interferences for chlorate determination were found to be BrO(3)(-), ClO(2)(-), ClO(-) and IO(3)(-) which were overcome by using SO(3)(2-) (as Na(2)SO(3)) as masking agent. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of chlorate in spiked water samples with the minimum reagent consumption of 14.0 mL h(-1). Good agreement between the proposed rFIA and the reference methods was found verified by Student's t-test at 95% confidence level.

Determination of synthetic chelating agents in surface and waste water by ion chromatography–mass spectrometry

Coupling of ion chromatography with electrospray mass spectrometry (IC-MS) is a simple, sensitive and quick method for the determination of polar organic traces in water samples without derivatization. Analysis of the chelating agents ethylenediamino tetraacetate (EDTA) and diethylenetriamino pentaacetate (DTPA) in aqueous samples was done by IC-MS on an anion exchange column after simple sample preparation steps. Quantification down to a concentration level of 1 microg L(-1) even in wastewater influents and effluents was achieved utilizing 13C marked internal standards and measuring the individual [M - H+]- and stable [M - 4H+ + Fe3+]- cluster ions. The method was validated against certified, but more time consuming routine methods. Applying this method a series of several European water samples were analyzed for EDTA and DTPA indicating their nature as polar persistent pollutants.

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of iodate and bromate in water samples by the method of mean centering of ratio kinetic profiles

A new and very simple kinetic-spectrophotometric method was developed for the simultaneous determination of binary mixtures of iodate and bromate in water samples, without prior separation steps. The method is based on the mean centering of ratio kinetic profiles, allows rapid and accurate determination of bromate and iodate. The analytical characteristics of the method such as detection limit, accuracy, precision, relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) and relative standard error (R.S.E.) for the simultaneous determination of binary mixtures of iodate and bromate were calculated. The results show that the method was capable of simultaneous determination of 0.05-1.50 microg mL(-1) each of iodate and bromate. The results allow simultaneous determination with the ratio 30:1-1:30 for iodate-bromate. The proposed method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of iodate and bromate in several water samples.

Chloride interference in the determination of bromate in drinking water by reagent free ion chromatography with mass spectrometry detection

Bromate, a well known by-product of the ozonation of drinking water, has been included among the substances which have to be monitored in the drinking water according to the last EC Directive 251/98 on potable water with a regulated limit of 10 microg l(-1). The need of performing routine analysis at this limit is a driving force for the developing of new simple and sensitive methods of detection, which should be also able to overcome the effect of matrix composition. This work explored the use of mass spectrometry detection with electrospray ionisation hyphenated to a reagent free ion chromatograph with hydroxide gradient elution for the determination of bromate in drinking water. The use of a high capacity hydroxide selective column operated in gradient mode allowed to avoid the interference by carbonate peak, which moved to longer retention times. The effect of increasing chloride concentrations from 0 to 250 mg l(-1), which is the guideline limit for drinking water in Directive 251/98/EC, was to decrease absolute mass spectrometric response and chromatographic efficiency and, on the consequence, to increase the effective detection limits. The effect of the chloride concentration on the detection of bromate is discussed.

US Environmental Protection Agency Method 326.0, a new method for monitoring inorganic oxyhalides and optimization of the postcolumn derivatization for the selective determination of trace levels of bromate

The development of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 317.0 provided a more sensitive, acceptable alternative to EPA Method 300.1 to be proposed as one of the recommended compliance monitoring methods for Stage II of the Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products (DBP) Rule. This work was initiated to evaluate other postcolumn reagents (PCRs) that might be utilized to provide an additional, alternative method in order to augment compliance monitoring flexibility for inorganic oxyhalide DBP anions. Modifications of the method reported by Salhi and von Gunten, which included adjustment and optimization of flow-rates, reaction temperature, and delivery of the PCR, improved the method performance. Method 326.0 incorporates an acidic solution of potassium iodide containing catalytic amounts of molybdenum(VI) as the PCR and provides acceptable precision and accuracy for all analytes and a postcolumn bromate detection limit in reagent water of 0.17 microg/l.

Determination of trace level bromate and perchlorate in drinking water by ion chromatography with an evaporative preconcentration technique

A simple sample preconcentration technique employing microwave-based evaporation for the determination of trace level bromate and perchlorate in drinking water with ion chromatography is presented. With a hydrophilic anion-exchange column and a sodium hydroxide eluent in linear gradient, bromate and perchlorate can be determined in one injection within 35 min. Prior to ion chromatographic analysis, the drinking water sample was treated with an OnGuard-Ag cartridge to remove the superfluous chloride and concentrated 20-fold using a PTFE beaker in a domestic microwave oven for 15 min. The recoveries of the anions ranged from 94.6% for NO2- to 105.2% for F-. The detection limits for bromate, perchlorate, iodate and chlorate were 0.1, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.2 microg/l, respectively. The developed method is applicable for the quantitation of bromate and perchlorate in drinking water samples.

Applications of ion chromatography with electrospray mass spectrometric detection to the determination of environmental contaminants in water

Ion chromatography (IC) is widely used for the compliance monitoring of common inorganic anions in drinking water. However, there has recently been considerable interest in the development of IC methods to meet regulatory requirements for analytes other than common inorganic anions, including disinfection byproduct anions, perchlorate, and haloacetic acids. Many of these new methods require the use of large injection volumes, high capacity columns and analyte specific detection schemes, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or postcolumn reaction with UV-Vis detection, in order to meet current regulatory objectives. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a detection technique that is particularly suitable for the analysis of permanently ionized or polar, ionizable compounds. The combination of IC with MS detection is emerging as an important tool for the analysis of ionic compounds in drinking water, as it provides increased specificity and sensitivity compared to conductivity detection. This paper reports on the application of IC-ESI-MS for the confirmation and quantitation of environmentally significant contaminants, i.e. compounds with adverse health effects which are either regulated or being considered for regulation, such as bromate, perchlorate, haloacetic acids, and selenium species, in various water samples.

Spectrophotometric determination of periodate, iodate and bromate mixtures based on their reaction with iodide

A rapid, simple, precise and accurate method is proposed for the determination of ternary mixtures of periodate-iodate-bromate based on their reaction with iodide ion at different pH values. The absorbance was measured at 352 nm. Three sets of reaction conditions were developed. In the first set of conditions, only periodate reacted with iodide, but in the second set the periodate and iodate reacted with iodide and in the third set the three ions reacted with iodide during the first 3 min after initiation of the reaction. The method could be used for individual determinations of periodate, iodate and bromate in the concentration range of 0.05-8.0 microg/ml, 0.05-5.0 microg/ml and 0.2-12 microg/ml, respectively. The data were evaluated by simultaneous equations.

Simultaneous determination of inorganic disinfection by-products and the seven standard anions by ion chromatography

For the first time, an ion chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of the disinfection by-products bromate, chlorite, chlorate, and the so-called seven standard anions, fluoride, chloride, nitrite, sulfate, bromide, nitrate and orthophosphate is presented. The separation of the ten anions was carried out using a laboratory-made high-capacity anion-exchanger. The high capacity anion-exchanger allowed the direct injection of large sample volumes without any sample pretreatment, even in the case of hard water samples. For quantification of fluoride, chloride, nitrite, sulfate, bromide, nitrate, orthophosphate and chlorate, a conductivity detection method was applied after chemical suppression. The post-column reaction, based on chlorpromazine, was optimized for the determination of chlorite and bromate. The method detection limit for bromate measured in deionized water is 100 ng/l and for chlorite, it is 700 ng/l. In hard drinking water, the method's detection limits are 700 ng/l (bromate) and 3.5 microg/l (chlorite). The method's detection limits for the other eight anions, determined by conductivity detection, are between 100 microg/l (nitrite) and 1.6 mg/l (chlorate).

Performance evaluation of a method for the determination of bromate in drinking water by ion chromatography (EPA method 317.0) and validation of EPA method 324.0

The potential carcinogenic nature of bromate has prompted global regulatory agencies, and industrial and academic institutions to publish several methods for the analysis of bromate in both drinking and bottled waters. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported two methods capable of detecting bromate at or below the promulgated maximum contaminant level of 10.0 microg/l. These methods are EPA Method 300.1 and 317.0. Method 300.1 has been promulgated by EPA for compliance monitoring of bromate under Stage 1 of the Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products Rule. Due to its sensitivity, selectivity and simplicity, Method 317.0 has been drafted and evaluated for potential use as a future compliance monitoring method. This manuscript describes the performance evaluation work with Method 317.0 and efforts completed at EPA's Technical Support Center that improved the sensitivity of Method 317.0, leading to the development of EPA Method 324.0

Use of ion chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for the determination of ionic compounds in agricultural chemicals

This paper reports the use of ion chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for the separation and structure elucidation of anionic compounds in a complex organophosphate matrix. Conventional HPLC with ion pairing reagents, pH adjustments or use of buffer solutions have limited compatibility with mass spectrometry, as the ion pairing reagents or buffers have to be volatile to be introduced into the mass spectrometer. The choice of volatile additives is limited, resulting in poor chromatography. This paper demonstrates the use of ion-exchange chromatography (IC) for the separation of ionic compounds, followed by mass spectrometry (MS) for the structure elucidation of unknowns. The anionic impurities are separated using an anion-exchange column with aqueous sodium hydroxide as the eluent. Electrospray in the negative ion mode is used to obtain the mass spectra. The elemental composition of an unknown component in the sample is determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The coupling of IC to MS provides a new analytical tool to chemists faced with the challenge of separating and analyzing ionic compounds in complex matrices.

Comparison of on-line coupling of ion-chromatography with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry and with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry as tools for the ultra-trace analysis of bromate in surface water samples

Ion chromatography in combination with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (API-MS) as well as with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) had been compared for trace analysis of bromate. The results indicate that both techniques yield comparable results, which are in excellent agreement with standard methods for bromate determination. Furthermore, both techniques showed almost equal absolute detection limits (approximately 50 pg bromate injected). Contrary to IC-API-MS, IC-ICP-MS can tolerate a higher salt concentration in the mobile phase. This allows the use of high-capacity columns combined with large sample volumes. This lowered the concentration based detection limits by one order of magnitude for IC-ICP-MS compared to IC-API-MS (0.06 microg/l vs. 0.5 microg/l). On the other hand, IC-API-MS is able to allow a positive identification of bromate even in cases when IC does not fully separate bromate from other bromine-containing species. The performance data of both IC-MS techniques have been established by participation in an international round robin test.

Detection techniques in ion analysis: what are our choices?

Trends in detection techniques for ion analysis by ion-exchange chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis are reviewed. Special attention is paid to conductivity, UV-Vis absorbance, amperometric and potentiometric detection, mass spectrometry (including inductively coupled plasma MS and atmospheric pressure ionization MS) and post-separation reaction detection. Applications reported within the last few years are summarized.

Eliminating the chlorite interference in US Environmental Protection Agency Method 317.0 permits analysis of trace bromate levels in all drinking water matrices

A post-column reagent (PCR) method for bromate analysis in drinking water with a method detection limit (MDL) and method reporting limit (MRL) of 0.1 and 0.5 microg/l, respectively, has been developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for future publication as EPA Method 317.0. The PCR method provides comparable results to the EPA's Selective Anion Concentration (SAC) method used to support the laboratory analysis of Information Collection Rule (ICR) low-level bromate samples and offers a simple, rugged, direct injection method with potential to be utilized as a compliance monitoring technique for all inorganic Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products (D/DBPs). It has superior sensitivity for bromate compared to EPA Method 300.1, which was promulgated as the compliance monitoring method for bromate under Stage 1 of the D/DBP rule. This paper addresses elimination of the chlorite interference that was previously reported in finished waters from public water systems (PWSs) that employ chlorine dioxide as the disinfectant. An evaluation of Method 317.0 for the analysis of bromate in commercial bottled waters is also reported.

Advances in the determination of inorganic anions by ion chromatography

The time period covered for this review includes articles published from 1997 to 1999, with the addition of a few classic references. The purpose of the review is to include the most relevant works from each topic area of the determination of inorganic anions by ion chromatography, including new sample pretreatments, new separation methods, new detection systems and the latest applications in the field of environmental, water, foods, etc. samples. Experimental conditions such as stationary phase, eluent, detection mode, as well as matrix are summarized in a table.

Analysis of low-molecular-mass inorganic and organic anions by ion chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry

Different nonvolatile mobile phases have been tested for the combination of ion-exchange chromatography combined with mass spectrometric detection of anions and organic acids. Buffer systems based on carbonate, sulfate, oxalate and citrate as the eluting species have been used. Among these, citrate proved to be the most versatile eluent allowing the separation of anions with absolute detection limits between 0.4 and 0.7 ng and of organic acids with detection limits between 0.4 and 4 ng in the non-suppressed mode. In the suppressed eluent mode iodate, bromate and chlorate could be separated using sodium carbonate as the mobile phase resulting in detection limits of 50 pg. The method was applied to the analysis of water samples containing oxyhalides originating from ozonization. Additionally, organic acids were separated by chromatographic separation techniques like reversed-phase, ion-pair or ion-exclusion chromatography and the compatibility with mass spectrometry was investigated with special respect to sensitivity of this detection mode.

Combination of suppressed and non-suppressed ion chromatography with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of anions

Non-suppressed and suppressed ion chromatography in combination with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry are compared with special respect to sensitivity for the analysis of low-molecular-mass anions. Iodate, bromate, bromide, sulfate, thiosulfate and bromide could be separated by non-suppressed ion chromatography using a low-capacity anion-exchange column and ammonium citrate as mobile phase. Absolute detection limits between 0.4 and 0.7 ng could be achieved; employing a column requiring a flow-rate of 1 ml/min for optimum performance, splitting was necessary so that only 120 microliters/min entered the interface of the mass spectrometer resulting in detection limits between 0.03 and 0.06 mg/l. The same stationary phase (packed into a narrow-bore column which allowed operation without splitting) was suitable for the separation of oxyhalides in the suppressed mode with detection limits of 0.5 microgram/l (50 pg) with sodium carbonate as eluent. The method was applied to the analysis of drinking water for oxyhalides. The sample pretreatment for the removal of matrix anions (sulfate, chloride and hydrogencarbonate) is described.

Analysis of 500-ng/l levels of bromate in drinking water by direct-injection suppressed ion chromatography coupled with a single, pneumatically delivered post-column reagent

In July 1997, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began sampling and analyzing drinking water matrices from US municipalities serving populations greater than 100,000 for low-level bromate (> 0.20 microgram/l) in support of the Information Collection Rule (ICR) using the selective anion concentration (SAC) method. In September 1997, EPA published Method 300.1 which lowered the Method 300.0 bromate method detection limit (MDL) from 20.0 to 1.4 micrograms/l. This paper describes the research conducted at the EPA's Technical Support Center laboratory investigating a single post-column reagent, o-dianisidine (ODA), which has been successfully coupled to EPA Method 300.1 to extend the MDL for bromate. Initial studies indicate that this method offers a MDL which approaches the EPA's SAC method with the added benefit of increased specificity, shortened analysis time and reduced sample preparation. The method provides excellent ruggedness and acceptable precision and accuracy with a bromate MDL in reagent water of 0.1 microgram/l, and a method reporting limit of 0.50 microgram/l.

Analysis of polar organic micropollutants in water with ion chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry

The coupling of ion chromatography (IC) with electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) opens new ways for the determination of polar organic micropollutants in water samples. The technique of conductivity suppression has been found to reduce the background signal in the range of about two orders of magnitude leading to a significant increase in sensitivity. In addition, the formation of salt adducts has been avoided. The usefulness of this method was proven on several polar and environmentally relevant micropollutants such as the herbicide glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), the chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA) and diacetonketogulonic acid (DAG). This present study has shown that IC-ES-MS is a simple, sensitive and quick method for the determination of these polar organic traces in water samples after separation on an anion-exchange column without any derivatization. In this work, several possibilities of applications of IC-ES-MS (with varying conditions) are presented. Analysis of glyphosate, AMPA, DAG and EDTA in ground and surface water has been achieved by IC-ES-MS without additional sample preparation at a concentration level of 1 microgram/l.

Determination of trace level bromate in drinking water by direct injection ion chromatography

Disinfection byproduct anions such as bromate, chlorite and chlorate pose significant health risks, even at low microgram/l levels in drinking water. A direct injection, ion chromatographic method was developed using a Dionex AS9-HC anion-exchange column with a carbonate eluent and suppressed conductivity detection for the determination of these disinfection byproduct anions, and bromide, at low microgram/l levels in drinking water. No additional sample pretreatment, other than filtration, is required. The method is linear for the oxyhalides and bromide over the typical concentration range expected for these analytes in drinking water; and quantitative recoveries were obtained for drinking water samples spiked at 10 micrograms/l. This ion chromatographic method, based on the recently developed AS9-HC column, is applicable for the quantitation of bromate in finished drinking water at the 10 micrograms/l maximum contaminant level currently being proposed by the US EPA.

Analysis of oxyhalides in water by ion chromatography-ionspray mass spectrometry

A sensitive method for analyzing chlorite, chlorate, bromate and iodate in water by ion chromatography (IC) coupled with ionspray tandem mass spectrometry (IS-MS-MS) has been developed. Prior to analysis, samples were subjected to off-line sample clean-up with Ba, Ag and H-form resins to remove sulfate, chloride and hydrogencarbonate, respectively. Oxyhalides in the purified samples were concentrated and separated on a short, high-performance anion-exchange column. An eluent consisting of ammonium nitrate in methanol-water (9:1, v/v) was found to be suitable for separating the analytes, while providing enhanced detector sensitivity. The coupling of IC with IS-MS-MS allows for the identification of the four oxyhalides mentioned above in a single run with very high specificity and sensitivity.