Part-Per-Trillion level determination of Alkylphenols, Chlorophenols and Bisphenol A using GC/MS-SIM in Tap Water

A new technique is proposed for the determination of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A in tap water. The sample preparation consists of a solid phase extraction (SPE) of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A from a water sample with XAD-4 and subsequent conversion to isobutyloxycarbonyl (isoBOC) derivatives or tert.-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) derivatives for sensitive analysis with the GC/MS-SIM mode. The recoveries were 86.6∼105.2 % (isoBOC derivatization) and 97.6∼484.5 % (TBDMS derivatization), respectively. The limit of quantitation of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A for SIM were 0.001∼0.050 $\mu\textrm{g}$/l (isoBOC derivatization) and 0.003∼0.050 $\mu\textrm{g}$/l (TBDMS derivatization). The SIM responses were linear with the correlation coefficient varying 0.9755∼0.9981 (isoBOC derivatization), and 0.9908∼0.9996 (TBDMS derivatization). The derivative methods and their application to tap water samples will be disscussed.