Determination of benzotrifluoride derivative compounds in groundwater

• Two methods for the simultaneous determination of nine benzotrifluoride derivatives (BTFS) in groundwater are proposed.
• The method for the more volatile BTFS is based on Purge-and-Trap and GC-MS techniques.
• The method for the semivolatile BTFS is based on SPE and GC-MS techniques.
• The methods are fit-for purpose validated and tested on samples collected from a polluted area.
• Most of the compounds investigated and detected have never been reported as environmental pollutants.

Two simple analytical methods for the simultaneous determination and quantification of benzotrifluoride and eight chlorinated, amino and nitro benzotrifluoride derivatives in groundwater are proposed. Benzotrifluoride, 4-chlorobenzotrifluoride, 2,4-dichlorobenzotrifluoride and 3,4-dichlorobenzotrifluoride, were extracted by Purge-and-Trap on the basis of their volatile properties, while 3-aminobenzotrifluoride, 4-nitrobenzotrifluoride, 3-amino-4-chlorobenzotrifluoride, 3-nitro-4-chlorobenzotrifluoride and 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride extractions were done with an automated SPE system. The analytical separations and detections were performed with two different GC systems, both equipped with single quadrupole mass spectrometer as detector. The LOD ranges for the two methods were 0.002–0.005 μg L−1 and 0.01–0.07 μg L−1, respectively. Both extraction methods were developed using spiked Milli-Q water and were then demonstrated with groundwater samples collected during autumn 2008. The areas of groundwater collection were polluted due to an episode of improper industrial soil disposal and consequent leakage of aliphatic and aromatic, fluorinated chemicals into the groundwater. This work eventually revealed the presence of several benzotrifluoride compounds most of them, like dichloro- and amino-derivatives, never been reported as environmental contaminants.

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