Analysis of Bromate in Drinking Water Using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry without Sample Pretreatment

Abstract

An analytical method for determining bromate in drinking water was developed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The ¹⁸O-enriched bromate was used as an internal standard. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of bromate was 0.2 μg/L. The peak of bromate was separated from those of coexisting ions (i.e., chloride, nitrate and sulfate). The relative and absolute recoveries of bromate in two drinking water samples and in a synthesized ion solution (100 mg/L chloride, 10 mg N/L nitrate, and 100 mg/L sulfate) were 99 – 105 and 94 – 105%, respectively. Bromate concentrations in 11 drinking water samples determined by LC-MS/MS were <0.2 – 2.3 μg/L. The results of the present study indicated that the proposed method was suitable for determining bromate concentrations in drinking water without sample pretreatment.