Solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis of nitrosamines in treated drinking water and wastewater

• Published in: TrAC, Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.) Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.), 2011-10, Vol.30 (9), p.1410-1421
• Main Authors: Boyd, J.M., Hrudey, S.E., Li, X.-F., Richardson, S.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis methods; Analytical chemistry; Applied sciences; byproducts; carcinogens; Chemistry; Chlorinated; chlorination; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; disinfection; Disinfection byproduct; Drinking water; epidemiological studies; Exact sciences and technology; Gas chromatographic methods; Gas chromatography; high performance liquid chromatography; humans; Liquid chromatography; N-nitrosodimethylamine; Natural water pollution; Nitrosamine; Other chromatographic methods; Pollution; public health; risk; rodents; Sample preconcentration; Solid-phase extraction; Spectrometric and optical methods; Tandem mass spectrometry; urinary bladder neoplasms; Wastewater; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0165-9936; 1879-3142
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2011.06.009

N-Nitrosamines, including N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), were identified as chlorination byproducts in drinking water in 1989. Nitrosamines are known rodent carcinogens and probable human carcinogens, and so they are considered disinfection byproducts (DBPs) of public health concern. Epidemiological studies show a potential association of consumption of chlorinated drinking water with an increased risk of bladder cancer. As small, relatively polar DBPs that often occur at low-ng/L concentrations in water, nitrosamines pose analytical challenges for accurate determination. Sample preparation (e.g., the commonly used solid-phase extraction) plays a critical role in achieving reliable determination of nitrosamines at ng/L concentrations. Historically, gas chromatography (GC)-based techniques have been used for nitrosamine analysis. Recently, newly developed liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS 2) methods have shown potential advantages in determining polar DBPs. This review focuses on the sample preconcentration methods and LC-MS 2 determination of nitrosamines in drinking water and wastewater. It also provides a historical perspective on nitrosamines and their occurrence in drinking water.