Assessment of polychlorinated naphthalenes in aquifer samples for drinking water purposes

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were identified and quantified in water samples collected from the aquifer of the Llobregat river near Barcelona (NE Spain) in order to establish the source and extent of spreading of the contamination. Many of the identified PCNs were well resolved as single peaks on the chromatograms recorded using high resolution gas chromatography combined with electron ionization high resolution mass spectrometry and single-ion monitoring. The profile and pattern of PCNs found in groundwater samples are similar to those of Halowax 1099. The levels of the sum of mono- to octachloronaphthalenes in the water samples ranged from 0.003 microgram/L to 72.9 micrograms/L.