Fast analysis of volatile organic compounds and disinfection by-products in drinking water using solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A fast method was developed for the extraction and analysis of volatile organic compounds, including disinfection by-products (DBPs), with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) techniques. A GC/time-of-flight (TOF)–MS instrument, which had fast acquisition rates and powerful deconvolution software, was used. Under optimum conditions total runtime was 45 s. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including purgeable A and B compounds (listed in US Environmental Protection Agency method 624), were identified in standard water samples. Extraction times were 1 min for more volatile compounds and 2 min for less volatile compounds. The method was applied to the analysis of water samples treated under different disinfection processes and the results were compared with those from a liquid–liquid extraction method.