Application of Particle Beam LC/MS for the Analysis of Water from Publicly Owned Treatment Works

Effluents from three New Jersey Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) were analysed for nonvolatile organic compounds using particle beam-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (PB-LC/MS). The wastewater samples were extracted by XAD-2 resin adsorption methodology. A comparison between the PB-LC/MS analysis and an on-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed that 46 additional compounds could be detected by PB-LC/MS. Identifications were made either by mass spectral interpretation or by matches with a mass spectral library data base for 19 of the 46 compounds detected only by PB-LC/MS. The majority of contaminants identified were non-ionic surfactants, plasticizers, plastic additives and other various synthetic organic compounds. PB-LC/MS has proven its ability to detect and identify a number of environmental contaminants which on-column GC/MS failed to detect.