Objective: To establish a liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography method for the determination of trichloroacetaldehyde in drinking water.
Methods: Chromatography parameters and extraction parameters, such as extraction solvent, salting out reagents, internal standards and pH were tested and selected. Using the optimized parameters, methods validation and comparison with the national standard examination method was also conducted.
Results: Employing the optimized extraction and instrumental analytic parameters, good correlation coefficient was obtained in the linear range of 0.20-20.0 μg/L, with r greater than 0.999. The methods detection limit was 0.030 μg/L. When spiked concentration was 1.0 μg/L for pure water and tap water, the recoveries were 94.8% and 93.7%, respectively, and relative standard deviation was 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively. When spiked concentration was 16.0 μg/L for pure water and tap water, the recoveries were both 101% and relative standard deviation was 1.0% and 1.3%, respectively. Paired samples t test showed that the result obtained with this method were generally lower than that acquired from the national standard examination method.
Conclusion: This method is sensitive and accurate, and it is suitable for the determination of trichloroaldehyde in drinking water.
Keywords: disinfection byproduct; liquid-liquid extraction; trichloroaldehyde.