AWWA WQTC60799

Orange County Water District (OCWD) has developed very sensitive and reliable detection method for estrogens/hormones from the different matrices of water samples using ESI/LC/MS coupled with new type of universal resin extraction disk. The system was optimized for each target compounds with single ion monitoring and varied cone voltages to maximize the response and reproducibility. Also the LC gradient method for the separation of these compounds was examined with different size particles of C18 columns from different manufactures. The universal resin extraction technique generated excellent recoveries for the target compounds with 90% labor and solvent reduction. The method detection limit for estrogens/hormones using ESI/LC/MS are sub parts per trillion for drinking water, surface water and reclaimed water samples. The established method was effectively applied for the monitoring sub parts per trillion levels of estrogens/hormones from the wastewater treatment plant using medium pressure UV and micro membrane technology. This study establishes a cost-effective and sensitive analytical method, which could determine sub part per trillion concentrations of the target compounds using ESI/LC/MS, which could be easily applicable for the determination of 9 estrogens /hormones from different matrix samples such as a reclaimed water, groundwater and surface water. Includes 9 references, tables, figure.