Quantitative Determination of 1,4-Dioxane and Tetrahydrofuran in Groundwater by Solid Phase Extraction GC/MS/MS

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2006-12, Vol.40 (23), p.7305-7311
• Main Authors: Isaacson, Carl, Mohr, Thomas K. G, Field, Jennifer A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carcinogens; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - methods; Contamination; Dioxanes - analysis; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Extraction processes; Fresh Water - chemistry; Furans - analysis; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Groundwater; Groundwater pollution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es0615270

Groundwater contamination by cyclic ethers, 1,4-dioxane (dioxane), a probable human carcinogen, and tetrahydrofuran (THF), a co-contaminant at many chlorinated solvent release sites, are a growing concern. Cyclic ethers are readily transported in groundwater, yet little is known about their fate in environmental systems. High water solubility coupled with low Henry's law constants and octanol−water partition coefficients make their removal from groundwater problematic for both remedial and analytical purposes. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method based on activated carbon disks was developed for the quantitative deter mination of dioxane and THF. The method requires 80 mL samples and a total of 1.2 mL of solvent (acetone). The number of steps is minimized due to the “in-vial” elution of the disks. Average recoveries for dioxane and THF were 98% and 95%, respectively, with precision, as indicated by the relative standard deviation of