SURFACE-WATER ANALYSIS (TRACE-ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS) AND EC REGULATIONS

A short description of the EC directives and recommended methods shows that few organics have to be controlled in surface waters for drinkin g-water purposes (a total of six PAHs, phenolics, surfactants reacting with methylene blue, dissolved hydrocarbons and a total of three pest icides). The specific analytical parameters for the given group are ob viously inadequate. New analytical methods have been developed during recent years and are discussed. The list of organic compounds to be el iminated from discharges (Directive EC 76/464) was taken as an indicat ion of compounds to be monitored and this, too, is discussed. Most of the methods involve a preconcentration step, a clean-up of the extract s and a chromatographic separation by gas or liquid chromatography. Be cause many methods have been derived from those used for drinking wate r, special attention is given to the sources of errors which are likel y to occur when they are applied to surface waters and to new methods which reflect current analytical trends (reduction of organic solvents , solid-phase extraction, automation of the sample preparation step, a nd multiresidue analyses). Examples are given for the trace-determinat ion of compounds such as PAHs, phenolics, aniline derivatives, linear alkylbenzene-sulfate and sulfonates, and pesticides. Special attention is also given to on-line multiresidue methods.