[Analysis of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography]

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• 1,4-dioxane is a common contaminant in drinking water.
• Sensitive and accurate detection methods are crucial for water quality monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize a method for detecting trace 1,4-dioxane in drinking water.
• To establish a reliable method for routine monitoring of 1,4-dioxane.

Main Methods:

• Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS/SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID).
• Optimization of extraction conditions including SPME fiber type (Carboxen-PDMS), temperature, time, pH, and sample volume.
• Optimization of gas chromatographic conditions using a PTA-5 capillary column.

Main Results:

• The optimized method achieved a linear range of 0.50-50.0 µg/L for 1,4-dioxane with a high correlation coefficient (r=0.9995).
• The limit of detection was determined to be 0.14 µg/L (S/N > 3).
• High recoveries (95.5%-107%) and low relative standard deviations (1.1%-5.3%) were observed for spiked water samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed HS/SPME-GC-FID method is simple, accurate, reproducible, and highly sensitive.
• This method is suitable for the routine monitoring of trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water.
• The study provides a valuable tool for ensuring drinking water safety.