PERFORMANCE-BASED FIELD METHODS FOR ANALYSES OF SUBSTITUTED PHENOLS BY THERMAL-DESORPTION GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Performance-based field methods that provide qualitative and screening level data for phenol and its substituted (chloro, methyl, and nitro) analogues were developed for soil analysis. The methods give results in under 5 min/sample. A more quantitative field method for soil and w ater also was developed. The method can provide data in under 20 min/s ample inclusive of sample preparation. Measurement performance of ther mal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TDGC/MS) for both soil and water samples are presented. MS with selective ion monitorin g and a compound-specific data analysis algorithm provides data with m easurement precision and accuracy of about 40%. The more quantitative method yields data comparable with those obtained by U.S. Environmenta l Protection Agency standardized methods, with measurement precision a nd accuracy of +/-30%.