APPLICATION OF SOLID-PHASE MICROEXTRACTION TO THE ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS IN WATER

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was investigated as a solvent-free alternative method for the extraction and analysis of some volatile or ganic compounds which can be present in industrial effluents. Such com pounds are included in the hazardous pollutants list of the US Nationa l Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the US Environmenta l Protection Agency. The performance of SPME fibres coated with two di fferent stationary phases, such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) 100 mu m and 7 mu m film thickness and 85 mu m poly(acrylic acid) were evaluated. Absorption times of 12 min for 100-mu m poly(dimethylsiloxane) and 85- mu m poly(acrylic acid) fibres and 5 min for 7-mu m poly(dimethylsilox ane) were needed to reach the equilibrium and 2 min was enough for com plete desorption of the analytes in the injection port of the gas chro matograph. High recoveries were obtained using the 100-mu m poly(dimet hylsiloxane) fibre, although for polar compounds better results were f ound using the 85-mu m poly(acrylic acid) fibre. Linear dynamic ranges and a detection limit between 0.3 acid 1.5 mu g l(-1) were obtained u sing the 100-mu m poly(dimethylsiloxane) fibre and flame ionization de tection. The SPME-GC procedure gave good repeatability (R.S.D.=4.3-10. 5%) and reproducibility (R.S.D.=6.6-12.9%). The proposed SPME-GC metho d was applied to determine some volatile organic compounds in spiked d rinking water and in industrial effluent samples.