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Identification and Quantification of Polar Nitroaromatic Compounds in Explosive-Contaminated Waters by means of HPLC-ESI-MS-MS and HPLC-UV

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Abstract

In the area of former ammunition plants, contaminations caused by explosives and their degradation products are of great environmental relevance because of the immediate vicinity of ground- and drinking water reservoirs. Beside the determination of selected explosive-related compounds by means of HPLC with UV detection, a LC-MS-MS coupling utilizing electrospray ionisation was developed, which is particularly suited for the determination of highly polar compounds. Therewith, 12 different explosive-related compounds were identified and quantified on the basis of specific precursor-/ product-ion traces using the high selectivity and sensitivity of multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The LC-MS-MS-technique was applied to water samples from the area of a former ammunition plant. In addition to dinitrophenols and aminodinitrotoluenes which could be determined also by HPLC-UV, some highly polar compounds were found in the contaminated water, for example 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid and 2-amino-4,6-dinitrobenzoic acid. The highest concentrations (14–40 µg L−1) were found for two isomers of dinitrotoluenesulfonic acids. In order to assure the quantitative determination of polar substances in real samples with different composition, external calibration and standard addition method were compared. The presented LC-MS-MS-method is suited for screening and quantification of polar and hydrophilic explosive-related compounds from different classes of substances in a single analytical protocol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    A. -C. Schmidt, B. Niehus, F. -M. Matysik & W. Engewald

  2. Faculty of Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 29, 09596, Freiberg, Germany

    A. -C. Schmidt

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  1. A. -C. Schmidt
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  2. B. Niehus
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  3. F. -M. Matysik
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  4. W. Engewald
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Correspondence to A. -C. Schmidt.

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Schmidt, A.C., Niehus, B., Matysik, F.M. et al. Identification and Quantification of Polar Nitroaromatic Compounds in Explosive-Contaminated Waters by means of HPLC-ESI-MS-MS and HPLC-UV. Chroma 63, 1–11 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1365/s10337-005-0703-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1365/s10337-005-0703-8

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