Abstract
Nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs) are currently receiving increased scientific attention due to elevated toxic effects of N-DBPs relative to disinfection by-products that do not contain nitrogen, such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. In order to develop an analytical method for the determination of N-DBPs, specifically haloacetamides, in drinking water, a new method using solid phase extraction liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (SPE-LC/MS) was examined. For SPE of haloacetamides from tap water, three C18 SPE cartridges and one activated carbon SPE cartridge were tested. Although no extraction of haloacetamides from a tap water sample was observed with C18 SPE cartridges, satisfactory results were obtained with the activated carbon SPE cartridge. A validation test was conducted to determine the recovery of four haloacetamides from water samples. Accuracy (recovery) and reproducibility of the developed analytical method were assessed. Results obtained suggest excellent accuracy (recovery) and reproducibility. Further, this method was applied to assess the presence of haloacetamides in tap water samples from water treatment plants located in Japan. No haloacetamides were detected above the LOQ (limit of quantification) (0.1 - 0.2μg/L) in any water samples.
