Emerging contaminant determination in water samples by liquid chromatography using a monolithic column coupled with a...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Growing concern over emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial chemicals) due to observed biological activity at low concentrations.
• Challenges in detecting and quantifying these compounds necessitate highly sensitive and selective analytical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and sensitive analytical method for quantifying eight specific emerging contaminants.
• To optimize chromatographic separation and sample preparation for improved detection.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a two-level full factorial design for method optimization.
• Employed a monolithic column (Onyx C18) for chromatographic separation.
• Implemented solid-phase extraction (SPE) with HF Bond Elut-C18 cartridges for sample preconcentration.

Main Results:

• Achieved baseline resolution of all eight target compounds in 4.6 minutes.
• Obtained a high enrichment factor of 2222 through optimized SPE.
• Demonstrated excellent linearity (R² > 0.999) and low limits of detection and quantification (ng L⁻¹ to μg L⁻¹ range).
• Reported method precision with relative standard deviations below 15% and confirmed robustness.

Conclusions:

• The developed method is rapid, sensitive, and robust for analyzing emerging contaminants.
• Successfully applied the method to quantify target compounds in superficial water samples.
• Provides a valuable tool for environmental monitoring of emerging pollutants.