AGILENT WATER ANALYSIS SOLUTIONS - Application Notebook

Importance of the Topic

Environmental monitoring of water and wastewater is essential for protecting human health and ecosystems. Accurate analysis of trace organic pollutants (PAHs, PBDEs, pesticides) and inorganic elements ensures compliance with regulatory standards and guides treatment strategies.

Objectives and Overview

This summary covers four analytical workflows developed on Agilent platforms:

• Automated SPE and HPLC–FLD/DAD determination of 24 PAHs in drinking water.
• Direct aqueous injection UHPLC–MS/MS for U.S. EPA Method 538 organic contaminants.
• Single-extraction GC–MS/MS quantification of PAHs and PBDEs in wastewater effluents.
• Ultra-fast ICP-OES analysis of 32 trace elements in water per U.S. EPA 200.7 using the SVS 2 sample-introduction system.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Key approaches and instruments:

• PAHs: Automated solid phase extraction on Bond Elut Plexa, fast HPLC separation on Pursuit PAH column, fluorescence and diode-array detection.
• EPA 538: No SPE; 1290 Infinity UHPLC with Agilent 6460 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS using Jet Stream, two MRM transitions per analyte.
• PAHs/PBDEs: Single overnight hexane extraction, HP-5 GC column, Agilent 7000B Triple Quadrupole GC/MS in MRM mode.
• Trace elements: Agilent 720/730 Series ICP-OES with SeaSpray nebulizer and SVS 2 valve for minimal washout and constant plasma flow.

Main Results and Discussion

Performance highlights:

• SPE–HPLC PAHs: Separation of 24 compounds in 28 min, detection limits down to 0.01–2.5 ng/L, recoveries 45–95%, RSDs <16%.
• EPA 538 LC/MS: 11 organophosphate pesticides and quinoline separated in <6 min, linearity R²≥0.9999, LODs 1–500 ng/L, added confirmatory MRM for EU compliance, successfully analyzed raw and treated waters.
• GC/MS wastewater PAHs/PBDEs: Fourteen analytes in <20 min, reporting limits 0.06–3 ng/L, QC recoveries 95–105%, stability <2% over 6 h.
• ICP-OES trace elements: 32 elements per EPA 200.7, MDLs 0.1–16 ppb, linear range up to 1000 ppm, stability <2% over 6 h, sample-to-sample time 68 s (vs. ~210 s).

Benefits and Practical Applications

These methods offer:

• Regulatory-level sensitivity and selectivity.
• Faster run times and higher throughput to reduce cost per sample.
• Simplified, automated sample preparation and direct injection techniques.
• Expanded analyte coverage with confirmatory transitions for data confidence.
• Enhanced productivity using novel sample-introduction technologies.

Future Trends and Applications

Expected developments include wider target and non-target screening using UHPLC–MS/MS and GC–MS/MS, greener and miniaturized extraction techniques, integration of high-throughput sample intro systems, and advanced data analytics for real-time environmental monitoring.

Conclusion

Agilent’s integrated solutions for SPE, HPLC, LC–MS, GC–MS, and ICP-OES enable fast, reliable, and compliant analysis of organic and inorganic water contaminants. The presented workflows meet EPA and EU regulations while maximizing lab efficiency and data confidence.

References

1. Agilent application notes: “Determination of 24 PAHs in Drinking Water,” “EPA Method 538 by Direct Aqueous Injection UHPLC–MS/MS,” “GC/MS/MS Analysis of Wastewater PAHs and PBDEs,” “Ultra-Fast ICP-OES Trace Elements in Water Using SVS 2.”
2. U.S. EPA Method 538 Rev.5.0 and Method 200.7 Rev.5.0 documentation.