A Fast and Sensitive Method for the Simultaneous Determination and Quantification of Six Anionic Surfactants in Surface Water using HILIC-ESI-MS Technique

The hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain and the polar sulfate group confer surfactant properties and enable them to be used as anionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants (AS) are known for their adverse impact on environment, particularly on aquatic ecosystem. In the present study a fast, sensitive and selective method for the determination and subsequent quantification of six anionic surfactants was developed using hydrophilic interactive liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to a electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometer (MS), in the concentration range 15-20 ${\mu}g/L$. The capability of the method was established using regression analysis and ANOVA. The method performance was evaluated by analyzing real time surface water spiked with 1-dodecyl hydrogen sulfate at 15 ${\mu}g/L$. Combined efficiency of solid phase extraction and MS detection established recovery of 89% in presence of natural matrix. These results point out that HILIC coupled to multistage MS procedures can be a powerful technique for environmental applications concerning the screening of polar contaminants.