Multiresidue analytical methods for the ultra-trace quantification of 33 priority substances present in the list of REACH in real water samples Original Research Article

Innovative and simultaneous multiresidue analytical methods of 33 multi-class pollutants in wastewaters, surface and ground waters, using solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) are presented. Target compounds include several groups of emerging and persistent contaminants derived from the European priority list of the registration evaluation and authorisation of chemicals system (REACH): organochlorine (8) and organophosphorus (2) pesticides, carbamates (2), fungicides (8), phthalates (2), alkylphenols (10) and bisphenol A. The recovery rates of the SPE gave levels ranged from 84 to 118% with exception of some compounds that yielded lower (methamidophos (50%), p,p′-DDT (60%) and o,p′-DDT (72%)) but all recoveries were acceptable. Low limits of detection (LOD) varied between 0.2 and 88.9 ng L−1 (except for HPTE and 4n-octylphenol giving 161 and 220 ng L−1, respectively). A study of matrix effects was performed in order to evaluate the best and reliable calibration approach. The developed analytical method was successfully applied to the analysis of the 33 substances in wastewater effluents as well as surface and ground waters. The most frequently detected families were alkylphenols and industrial endocrine disrupting compounds (phthalates and bisphenol A).