Gas-chromatographic determination of phenols in aqueous samples after solid phase extraction

27 phenols including mono- di-, tri-, tetra- and pentachlorophenols, mono- and dinitrophenols, mono- and dinitrocresols and dimethylnitrophenols have been extracted from aqueous samples by solid phase extraction using both modified silica gel (C18) and XAD resin-ad-sorbents and determined by gas chromatography (GC) using capillary columns with specially desactivated weakly polar phases. If a 1 l sample of spiked water is used, a considerable breakthrough is observed with phenol itself, while all other phenols are almost quantitatively extracted. The recovery of phenol itself can be improved by employing smaller sample volumes.