Determination of phenols in aqueous solutions by chromatography-mass spectrometry as isopropyl hydroxycarbonyl derivatives

Conditions for the preparation and extraction of some phenol ester derivatives with isopropyl chlorofomate are optimized for their subsequent determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The degrees of conversion into corresponding derivatives for phenol, 3-methylphenol, 3,4-dimethylphenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 3,4-difluorophenol, 3-chloro-4-fluorophenol, 4-iodophenol, β-naphthol, α-naphthol, and pentachorophenol are in the range 90–100%. The limits of detection range from 200 ng/L (4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol) to 1.5 μg/L (pentachlorophenol).