Determination of endocrine disruptors in environmental water samples by stir bar sorptive extraction-liquid desorption - Large volume injection-gas chromatography

A method based on stir bar sorptive extraction with liquid desorption combined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry detection has been developed to determine a group of endocrine disruptors in water samples. Large volume injection was used with a programmed temperature vaporiser injector in gas chromatography to enhance sensitivity. The parameters affecting stir bar sorptive extraction and large volume injection were optimised. The limits of quantification in the full scan mode were between 0.02 and 0.2 mug L-1 and the limits of detection were between 0.005 and 0.02 mug L-1 for river water samples. The reproducibility between days of the method (n = 3) for river water samples spiked at 0.2 mug L-1 was below 15%. The performance of the method was checked with several water samples from the sea, and effluent and influent sewage treatment plants. We found 4-tert-octylphenol, benzylbutyl phthalate and bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate in all the water samples analysed at levels between 0.02-14.04 mug L-1. Diazinon was found in only one effluent wastewater sample at 0.16 mug L-1.