MS MS IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS IN DEGRADATIVE BIOFILMS/

MS/MS was used for the identification of degradation products in biofi lms. The procedure was suitable for the study of exopolymer materials from a flowthrough culture system with a biofilm thickness of 5-40 mu m and the detection of analytes at picogram levels. Aliquots (2 mu L) of the influent, biofilm, and effluent from a flowthrough culture syst em were subjected directly to instrumental analysis with no sample ext raction, cleanup, or preconcentration steps. Ah samples were analyzed within 35 min of sampling, This rapid and sensitive analytical procedu re served to minimize possible transformations during storage and anal ysis. An application of the procedure is described for the identificat ion of selected degradation products of the herbicide 2-[4-(2,4-dichlo rophenoxy)phenoxy]propionate (common name diclofop-methyl) within degr adative biofilm material.