Use of solid phase extraction disks for the GC-MS analysis of acidic and neutral herbicides in drinking water

An analytical procedure was developed in which thirteen herbicides (10 acidic and 3 neutral compounds) may be extracted from drinking water samples using solid phase extraction disks and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using 8 replicate samples consisting of reagent water fortified with nanogram quantities of each herbicide, the average percent recoveries and method detection limits were determined for each analyte. The method was found to be suitable for the determination of individual herbicides in drinking water at concentrations of approximately 10 ng/L.