Sensitive determination of glutaraldehyde in environmental water by derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

A highly sensitive gas chromatography mass spectrometry method (GC-MS) has been established for the determination of the level of glutaraldehyde in drinking water, surface water and waste water. The method is based on the derivatization of glutaraldehyde with o-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine in water. The following optimum reaction conditions were established: reagent dosage, 10 mg L⁻¹ of reagent; pH 4; reaction for 10 min at 70 °C. The glutaraldehyde oxime derivative was detected by GC-MS after the micro liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate 0.1 mL. The limits of detection and the limits of quantification of glutaraldehyde were in the concentration range of 0.008–0.03 μg L⁻¹ and 0.03–0.09 μg L⁻¹, respectively, in water matrices. The calibration curves showed good linearity with r ≥ 0.9995; the accuracy was in the range of 90–107%; and the precision of the assay was better than 14% in all water matrices. This method is sensitive enough to permit reliable analysis of glutaraldehyde to the ng L⁻¹ level in environmental water.