Analysis of aromatic amines in industrial wastewater by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The analysis of aromatic amines, particularly benzidines, at trace levels i n environmental media has been difficult because of the lack of suitable de activated capillary column stationary phases for gas chromatography. This r eport describes the use of an improved type of column as well as a method f or the analysis of anilines and benzidines in water, wastewater and sewage samples. Extraction procedures are applicable to a wide range of compounds that are effectively partitioned from an aqueous matrix into methylene chlo ride, or onto a solid-phase extraction cartridge. The extracted analytes ar e also amenable to separation on a capillary gas chromatographic column and transferable to the mass spectrometer. These contaminants are converted to their N-trifluoroacetyl derivatives. Aniline and some substituted anilines , and 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine and benzidine were determined in 24-h composit e industrial water, wastewater, primary sludge and final effluent samples a t concentrations from 0.03 up to 2760 mu g/L.