Determination of mono- and sesquiterpenes in water samples by membrane inlet mass spectrometry and static headspace gas chromatography

A membrane inlet mass spectrometric (MIMS) method is presented and compared with a static headspace gas chromatographic method (HSGC) for the determin ation of terpenes in water. The MIMS method provides a very simple and fast analysis of terpenes in water, detection limits being relatively low, from 0.2 mu g l(-1) for monoterpenes to 2 mu g l(-1) for geraniol. The analysis of terpenes by the HSGC (equipped with flame ionization detector, FID) met hod is more time-consuming and the detection limits (2 mu g l(-1) for monot erpenes to 100 mu g l(-1) for geraniol) are higher than with MIMS. However, the HSGC method has the advantage of determining individual mono- and sesq uiterpene compounds, whereas MIMS provides only separation of different cla sses of terpenes. Both methods were applied to the analysis of mono- and se squiterpenes in several condensation water samples of pulp and paper mills. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.