CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORETIC DETERMINATION OF HYDROXYMETABOLITES OFATRAZINE IN POTABLE WATER USING SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION WITH AMBERCHROM RESINS

A CZE-separation system for hydroxyatrazine, desisopropylhydroxyatrazi ne, desethylhydroxyatrazine and ammeline is presented that allows thei r determination in environmental waters in the sub-mu g L-1 domain aft er solid-phase extraction/enrichment with styrene-divinylbenzene and m ethacrylate macroporous (Amberchrom) resins. The CZE separation and de termination system uses the stacking effect and an increased light pat h for UV-detection (bubble cell). The etching of the bubble cell was d one in our laboratory. A ruggedness check of the CZE-system revealed t he resolution of the N-dealkylated metabolites to be sensitive to pH, temperature and current variations as well as to changes of capillary dimensions. Fine-tuning of the separation is performed by variation of the current intensity in the constant-current mode. Recoveries from f ortified tap-water samples were 95% for hydroxyatrazine, 70% for deset hylhydroxyatrazine and approximately 20% for desisopropylhydroxyatrazi ne at the 0.2 mu g L-1 concentration level. Due to its high polarity, ammeline is only slightly adsorbed on Amberchrom resins and cannot be enriched using these materials.