DETERMINATION OF TWO TEXTILE DYES IN WASTEWATER BY SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION AND LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY/ELECTROSPRAY IONIZATION TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study describes a procedure for the determination of two textile dyes (Nylosan Red N-2RBL-azo and Optilan Blue MF-GL-anthraquinone) from wastewater by solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC/ESI-MS/MS) analysis. Four types of Strata SPE cartridges (C18-U, C18-E, WAX/NH₂, and SAX) were tested; the best results being obtained on Strata WAX/NH₂. The detection of dyes was carried out by mass spectrometry with an API 3200 QTRAP ESI-MS/MS system using a TurboV ionization source in ESI negative ion mode. The method of multiple reaction monitoring transitions was followed to quantify the precursor molecular ions and the related product ions. A mobile phase of methanol:water (70/30, v/v) at 0.65 mL min⁻¹ flow rate was used for elution. The procedure was validated by: linearity, limits of detection and quantification, accuracy, and precision. The obtained detection/quantification limits were: 0.285/0.864 ng mL⁻¹ for Nylosan Red N-2RBL and 0.433/1.310 ng mL⁻¹ for Optilan Blue MF-GL. The presented procedure has been applied for monitoring the studied textile dyes in influent and effluent wastewater from a treatment plant from an area in Romania that has a textile factory.

Keywords:

• LC/ESI-MS/MS
• SPE
• textile anthraquinone dye
• textile azo dye
• validation
• wastewater

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This paper was realized with the support of EURODOC, “Doctoral Scholarships for Research Performance at European Level” project, financed by the European Social Fund and the Romanian Government.

Notes

^a Mean = Average of found amount for four extractions.

^b Mean = Average of recovery of four extractions.

^c SD = Standard deviation.

^d RSD = Relative standard deviation.

^a Retention time.

^b LOD_instrument.

^c LOQ_instrument.

^d SD = Standard deviation.

^a Mean = Average of three determinations.

^b SD = Standard deviation.

^c RSD = Relative standard deviation.

^a Mean = Average of three determinations.

^b SD = Standard deviation.

^c RSD = Relative standard deviation.

^a nd = not detected.