EASUMMIT: Environmental Capabilities

Význam tématu

Environmental monitoring of organic and inorganic contaminants is essential for protecting human health, preserving ecosystems and meeting stringent regulatory requirements worldwide. Rapid, reliable and sensitive analytical workflows enable water utilities, environmental laboratories and industrial quality-control teams to detect low-level pollutants, emerging contaminants and transformation by-products with confidence.

Cíle a přehled studie / článku

This overview presents an integrated suite of sample-preparation, chromatographic and mass-spectrometric techniques optimized for comprehensive contaminant analysis. It illustrates:

• Ion-exchange and solid-phase extraction strategies for routine and trace ionic analytes
• High-performance LC-MS/MS and Orbitrap-based workflows for pharmaceuticals, hormones and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
• High-resolution GC-MS/MS applications for disinfection by-products, chlorinated paraffins and other semi-volatile organics
• Case studies demonstrating non-targeted screening and method performance against EPA and EU methods

Použitá metodika a instrumentace

Sample Preparation and Extraction

• Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE 350)
• Automated Solid-Phase Extraction (AutoTrace 280, multiple SPE phases and phthalate-free sorbents)

Ion Chromatography

• Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-5000+ RFIC system
• New 4 µm Dionex IonPac columns (analytical and capillary formats)
• Reagent-Free IC and integrated suppressor technology
• IC-MS/MS coupling with Orbitrap for EPA 557 (bromate, haloacetic acids)

Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

• Thermo Scientific Q-Exactive hybrid HRAM and various triple-quadrupole platforms
• EPA 537 and 539 methods for PFAS and hormones via automated SPE and LC-MS/MS
• Isotope-dilution calibration and full-scan screening libraries

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

• Thermo Scientific Q Exactive GC Orbitrap GC-MS/MS coupled to TRACE 1310 GC
• HR/AM detection of chlorinated paraffins, DBPs and PPCPs with ±3 ppm mass accuracy
• Fast, high-resolution separations and selective extracted-ion chromatograms

Data Handling

• LIMS integration and spectral libraries for non-targeted workflows
• Quantitation and confirmation using parallel targeted and full-scan acquisition modes

Hlavní výsledky a diskuse

• 4 µm IonPac columns achieved up to 2× faster runs and improved resolution for anions at pressures up to 5000 psi.
• IC-MS/MS direct injection simplified EPA 557 analyses of bromate, Dalapon and HAA9 with isotope-dilution accuracy and matrix elimination via inline ion exchange.
• Orbitrap LC-MS outperformed conventional triple quadrupoles in sensitivity (< 0.05 ng/L vs. 0.1–4 ng/L) for trace hormones and PFAS in drinking water, while enabling discovery of non-targeted species.
• High-resolution GC-MS detected and confirmed > 600 disinfection by-products, including novel iodo-DBPs, by exploiting exact mass windows and time-programmed selective monitoring.
• GC-Orbitrap analysis of short-chain chlorinated paraffins resolved coeluting isomers and reduced interference, facilitating reliable quantitation at low ng/g levels.
• Automated SPE cartridges delivered performance equivalent to manual methods for EPA 537, enabling higher throughput and reproducibility.

Přínosy a praktické využití metody

• Comprehensive coverage of ionic, polar and semi-volatile organic analytes in a single laboratory
• Reduced sample-preparation time and minimized manual handling through automation
• Enhanced sensitivity and selectivity support compliance with evolving drinking-water regulations (EPA UCMR, EU directives)
• Parallel acquisition modes allow simultaneous targeted quantitation and non-targeted screening
• Flexible instrumentation adapts to diverse matrices and emerging contaminant classes

Budoucí trendy a možnosti využití

• Expansion of non-targeted high-resolution screening for emerging pollutants such as endocrine disruptors, microplastics leachates and novel PFAS degradation products
• Deeper integration of online SPE, multiplexed LC and AI-driven data analysis to accelerate sample throughput and decision-making
• Broader deployment of reagent-free IC and field-portable MS systems for on-site monitoring
• Continued method harmonization against international standards to address global contaminant challenges

Závěr

The combined use of advanced sample-preparation platforms, high-efficiency chromatographic columns and high-resolution mass-spectrometric detectors provides a robust, sensitive and flexible solution for modern environmental analysis. These workflows enable laboratories to rapidly screen, quantify and discover both regulated and emerging contaminants, ensuring water safety and regulatory compliance.

Reference

• Glüge J, Wang Z et al. Science of the Total Environment, 2016, 573:1132–1146
• EPA Method 537: Determination of Selected Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids in Drinking Water
• EPA Method 539: Determination of Hormones in Drinking Water
• Directive 2013/39/EU on priority substances in water policy