Abstract
Solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure followed by derivatization and gas chromatography electron capture detection was evaluated for the determination of trace amounts of chlorophenols (CPs) in waters samples. Different parameters affecting extraction efficiency such as, volume of elution solvent, volume and pH of water sample, quantity of sorbent phase were studied and optimized. SPE was carried out on polystyrene-divinylbenzene (Bond Elut ENV) and high recoveries were obtained using 1000 mg of this cartridge for the treatment of 500 mL of acidified water sample. The described method was then tested on spiked tap, mineral, ground and surface water samples. The overall procedure provided limits of detection lower than 20 ng L-1, recoveries of 70 %-106 % and an enrichment factor of 500 for the examined CPs in 500 mL water samples. Among the studied compounds, pentachlorophenol was detected in tap water at a concentration level of 0.06 A mu g L-1.