Is SPE necessary for environmental analysis? A quantitative comparison of matrix effects from large-volume injection...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Matrix effects significantly impact analytical signal quality in environmental samples.
• Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is a common but labor-intensive method for sample preconcentration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the analytical performance of large-volume injection (LVI) with SPE-based methods for environmental contaminants.
• To evaluate matrix effects as an indicator of analytical signal quality in wastewater analysis.

Main Methods:

• Direct injection of 900 μL wastewater using LVI onto an HPLC column.
• Comparison with SPE using C18 and HLB solid phases for preconcentration.
• Analysis of estrogens, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates.
• Assessment of matrix effects quantitatively and qualitatively.

Main Results:

• LVI demonstrated analytical signal quality comparable to SPE methods.
• LVI significantly reduced costs, material usage, and labor compared to SPE.
• LVI eliminated analyte loss issues inherent in SPE procedures.

Conclusions:

• LVI is a cost-effective and efficient alternative to SPE for environmental analysis of wastewater contaminants.
• LVI provides comparable analytical performance to SPE while offering practical advantages.