On-line monitoring of nine haloacetic acid species at the μg L−1 level using post-column reaction-ion chromatography with nicotinamide fluorescence

A laboratory-built automated instrument is reported for on-line, near real-time monitoring of nine haloacetic acids species (HAA9) in drinking water. The device uses anion-exchange chromatography to separate the HAA9 species, followed by post-column reaction with nicotinamide in basic solution with fluorescence detection. Method detection limits for HAA9 species ranged from 0.6 to 10.1 μg L−1, mean % recovery values ranged from 58 to 161%, and % relative standard deviation ranged from 3.5 to 32% while operating within a factor of 2.5–5 of the method detection limit. The bias between the proposed method and United States Environmental Protection Agency Method 552.3 was measured during two separate on-line studies and using grab samples collected from different distribution systems. In general, the two methods showed good agreement with biases for HAA9 of less than 10 μg L−1.