Application of Dynamic Headspace Analysis for Trihalomethanes in Flowing Water

Published: Journal of Chromatographic Science, Volume 33, Number 3, March 1995, pp. 109-115.

Application of Dynamic Headspace Analysis for Trihalomethanes in Flowing Water
Hong-wei Wang, Milagros S. Simmons, and Rolf A. Deininger

A simple, fast, and convenient dynamic headspace method for the analysis of trihalomethanes (THMs) in flowing water is described. A portable gas chromatograph with an on-line preconcentrator and an electron-capture detector is used with a glass sparger. Distilled water spiked with mixed concentrations of THMs is allowed to flow into the sparger, and the headspace is preconcentrated to a trap, desorbed, and analyzed by gas chromatography. The linear working concentration ranges are 0.1–25 ppb for dichlorobromomethane (DCBM) and dibromochloromethane (DBCM), 0.1–200 ppb for bromoform (BF), and 3–175 ppb for chloroform (CF). The relative standard deviation of peak areas obtained ranges from 4.4 to 8.4% for CF, 2.6 to 5.7% for DCBM, 2.4 to 6.0% for DBCM, and 5.8 to 9.4% for BF. Recoveries of tap water spiked with THM samples are estimated to be in the range of 92.8–131.1% for CF (5–15 ppb), 79.5–166% for DCBM (0.5–2.0 ppb), 94.1–107.5% for DBCM (1.0–3.0 ppb), and 77.2–118.0% for BF (5–20 ppb). The limits of detection are 0.01 ppb for DCBM, DBCM, and BF and 0.10 ppb for CF. The addition of salt (Na₂SO₄) to the water increases the chromatographic response of THMs.

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