Determining the Henry’s Law Constants of THMs in Seawater by Means of Purge-and-Trap Gas Chromatography (PT-GC): The Influence of Seawater as Sample Matrix

Abstract

The influence of seawater salts as salting out agents on the purge-and-trap gas chromatography (PT-GC) determination of trihalomethanes (THMs) was studied. This is particularly important since seawater is chlorinated when used as a cooling agent in coastal nuclear power stations. The chlorination produces unwanted THMs as by-products. A PT-GC apparatus was used to determine the Henry’s Law constant of each THM, with seawater as the sample matrix.