Isotope dilution analysis of bromate in drinking water matrixes by ion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection

Abstract

Bromate is a disinfection byproduct in drinking water which is formed during the ozonation of source water containing bromide. This paper describes the analysis of bromate via ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The separation of bromate from interferences such as bromide and brominated haloacetic acids is achieved using a PA-100 column in combination with a 5 mM HNO3 + 25 mM NH4NO3 mobile phase. Polyatomic ions are observed on masses 79 and 81 in a synthetic phosphate matrix and in ozonated drinking waters. These polyatomic ions have been tentatively identified as PO3+ and H2PO3+. These polyatomic ions do not interfere with the detection of bromate because phosphate elutes prior to bromate. A polyatomic ion is observed on mass 81 in a synthetic sulfate matrix and in ozonated drinking waters. This polyatomic ion has been tentatively identified as HSO3+ and does not interfere with the detection of bromate because sulfate elutes after bromate. Isotope dilution analysis produces a relative standard deviation (RSD) of approximately 5% for both enriched isotopic additions at sample concentrations of 10 ng/g. The RSD associated with the direct analysis of bromate is 3.2% at sample concentrations of 10 ng/g. The bromate concentrations determined in ozonated drinking waters via isotope dilution analysis are within 10% of the concentrations determined via direct analysis for sample concentrations above 2 ng/g. The detection limit for the direct analysis of bromate via IC-ICPMS is 0.3 ng/g.