ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS AS CONTAMINANTS OF THE ELBE RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES .2. GC MS SCREENING FOR CONTAMINANTS OF THE ELBE WATER/

GC/MS non target screening has been applied to water samples taken dur ing 1992-1994 from the Elbe river and its tributaries Mulde, Saale, We isse Elster, Schwarze Elster, and Havel. Based on full scan electron i mpact mass spectra and supplemented by extensive use of chemical ionis ation and high resolution data as well as by synthetic reference compo unds, several new classes of compounds, whose possible environmental e ffects are yet unknown at present, have been identified. Tetrachlorina ted bis-(propyl)ethers are new among the most prominent contaminants t hroughout the Elbe river. The confluence with the Mulde river adds a v ariety of compounds, related to the chemistry of chloro- and nitroarom atics, azo dyes, benzanilides, carbamates, thiophosphates, and pestici des. The combined load of the Weisse Elster and Saale rivers carries o ligoformals, oxathiamacrocycles, and dichloro- and trichloro-bis-(prop yl) ethers, whereas chloropropylphosphates are introduced via the Schw arze Elster. The majority of these compounds, originating from sources at the tributaries, are still present at the mouth of the Elbe river. In addition to specific industrial emissions, a variety of more gener ally observed organic compounds like long chain aliphatics, sterols, p henylalkanes, and plasticizers as well as ubiquitous environmental tra ce pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorobenzenes, a nd hexachlorocyclohexane isomers have been encountered throughout the Elbe river drainage system.