Determination of dihaloacetonitriles and halophenols in chlorinated sea water

The cooling effluents in power stations are chlorinated to avoid excessive biofouling. However, this disinfecting treatment leads to the formation of halogenated by-products, mainly trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles and halophenols. There is therefore a need for precise and accurate methods that allow trace level determinations of these compounds. Experimental procedures combining liquid–liquid extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry were developed in this study to determine dihaloacetonitriles and halophenols. The extraction step was improved and the performance of both methods evaluated. Precise and accurate determinations were obtained, allowing the measurement of the investigated compounds in chlorinated sea water samples from three French nuclear power stations.