Performance-Based Field Methods for Analyses of Substituted Phenols by Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract Performance-based field methods that provide qualitative and screening level data for phenol and its substituted (chloro, methyl, and nitro) analogues were developed for soil analysis. The methods give results in under 5 min/sample. A more quantitative field method for soil and water also was developed. The method can provide data in under 20 min/sample inclusive of sample preparation. Measurement performance of thermal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TDGC/MS) for both soil and water samples are presented. MS with selective ion monitoring and a compound-specific data analysis algorithm provides data with measurement precision and accuracy of about 40%. The more quantitative method yields data comparable with those obtained by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standardized methods, with measurement precision and accuracy of ± 30%.