DEVELOPMENT OF A FIELD-PRACTICAL ASSAY FOR WATER-SOLVATED CHLOROPHENOLS

A field-practical assay for chlorophenols (CPs) was developed and the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity were defined. The assay was capa ble of detecting these ubiquitous toxic compounds in water and has the potential for being used as a rapid, inexpensive screening test for p otable water. The solvated target molecules were labeled with the fluo rescent tag, 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl chloride, dansyl ch loride (DsCl). Extraction of the fluorescent complex allowed for the r emoval of co-contaminants. Detection of the dansylated CPs was based o n the visualization of induced bluish-yellow fluorescence. The accurac y, specificity and sensitivity of the assay were determined by: (i) te sting diverse organic and inorganic contaminants (listed in the 1992 U S Primary Drinking Water Standards), (ii) testing aqueous CP solutions of known concentration, and iii) testing potable water samples collec ted from six Texas cities.