AWWA WQTC58858

Bromate and bromoacetic acids (i.e., monobromo-, dibromo-, tribromo-, bromochloro-, bromodichloro-, dibromochloroacteic acid) are disinfection byproducts in drinking water. This paper describes a new method for their simultaneous determination in water samples by anion-exchange liquid chromatography with highly sensitive and specific inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Factors affecting the chromatographic separation and ICP-MS detection performance were systematically optimized. The separation of the target analytes was achieved on a Dionex IonPac AS11-HC column with 100 mM ammonium nitrate as eluent. The detection limits (3f, sample injection volume 500 uL) obtained with the LC-ICP-MS were within the range of 0.13-0.36 ug L^-1. The probable masking of the peak of bromochloroacetic acid by that of bromide at relatively high levels was eliminated by appropriate sample pretreatment with Dionex OnGuard Ag and H cartridges. Sample matrix did not show significant influence on the analysis. The method has been applied to analysis of various waters with good precisions and spiked recoveries of 80.8-113.8%. Includes 46 references, tables, figures.