Determination of chlorophenols in drinking water with high resolution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new method for the determination of sub-ppb levels of chlorophenols in drinking water by use of GC-MS-MS is proposed. Monitoring of these analytes for assurance of compliance with legally allowed limits can readily be accomplished by extraction as acetylated chlorophenols from low sample volumes (10 ml). Much lower detection limits can be achieved by preconcentrating 11 of sample using graphitized carbon cartridges for solid extraction. Appropriate selection of parent ions and fragmentation conditions ensures not only a high sensitivity, but also clean product ion spectra that allow positive identification of every species considered (polychlorophenol isomers included).