DETERMINATION OF HIGHLY POLAR COMPOUNDS IN WATER SAMPLES AROUND FORMER AMMUNITION PLANTS

A method was developed for the determination of nitrobenzoic acids and nitrophenols as well as of diaminoaromatics and was applied to the an alysis of water samples from the former ammunition plant at Elsnig (Sa xony, Germany). The procedure is based on a preseparation into a neutr al, an acidic and a basic fraction by multi-step extraction at differe nt pH values followed by HPLC analysis with UV and electrochemical det ectors, coupled in series. Applying optimized enrichment conditions, a ll investigated compounds were extracted from spiked distilled water w ith recoveries > 80 % and variation coefficients < 7 %. Similar result s were obtained with spiked ground water samples. After enrichment, al l compounds can be analysed by HPLC with UV detection at concentration s below 100 ng L-1. The electrochemical detector (ELCD) allowed a sele ctive and sensitive detection of the nitrophenols and especially of th e diaminoaromatics and, therefore, provides some advantages in the ana lysis of real samples.