Isolation, Concentration and Subsequent Analysis by Capillary Gas Chromatography of Trace Amounts of Organophosphorus Compounds from Aqueous Samples

Abstract

Trace amounts (ppb or less) of phosphorus containing compounds present in aqueous samples are adsorbed on XAD-4 and subsequently eluted by means of ethyl acetate. The solvent and the eluted compounds are evaporated and swept over a Tenax-GC tube. This gas stripping method traps the phosphorus containing compounds together with only a small amount of the solvent whereas the water entrapped in the XAD step is removed simultaneously. The compounds are desorbed from the Tenax-GC tube and injected into the gas chromatograph using the combination of thermal desorption, cold trapping and flash heating. The subsequent analysis is carried out on a capillary column and the compounds are detected by means of a flame photometric detector. The various steps of the analytical procedure are discussed, including the recoveries of the different compounds studied and some instrumental aspects.

Key Words:

• Organophosphorus compounds
• aqueous samples
• gas chromatography
• flame photometric detector.