Analysis of phenolic compounds in the dissolved and suspended phases of Lake Balaton water by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

As a novel approach to characterize the phenolic pollutants of Lake Balaton (Central Europe, western Hungary), 26 endocrine disrupting phenols (chlorophenols, nitrophenols, alkylphenols, triclosan, bisphenol-A) were quantified in dissolved and suspended particulate matter (SPM) phases, alike. Sample collection was performed in the western and eastern basins, at 20 sites in April and October 2014. Solid-phase and ultrasound-assisted extractions to withdraw target phenols from dissolved and suspended phases were employed. Compounds were derivatized with hexamethyldisilazane and trifluoroacetic acid for their quantification as trimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In Lake Balaton's dissolved phase, 2-chlorophenol (103-164 ng/L), 4-chlorophenol (407-888 ng/L), 2,4-dichlorophenol (20.2-72.0 ng/L), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (10.4-38.1 ng/L), 2-nitrophenol (31.0-66.5 ng/L), 4-nitrophenol (31.5-94.1 ng/L), and bisphenol-A (20.6-112 ng/L), while in its SPM, 4-chlorophenol (<LOQ-1274 μg/kg, dry matter), 4-nitrophenol (423-714 μg/kg), 4-nonylphenol isomers (1500-2910 μg/kg), and bisphenol-A (250-587 μg/kg) were determined. Since phenolics appear partially or exclusively in the SPM, the analysis of both phases proved to be of primary importance. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.