Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic determination with photodiode-array detection of nitroaromatics from former ammunition plants in surface waters
Abstract
Samples containing nitroaromatics have been taken from brooks and ponds in former ammunition production areas in Hessia (FRG) and Lower Saxony (FRG). The compounds were extracted by solid/liquid partition using Amberlite XAD 2/4/8 resins and elution with dichloromethane. The samples were analyzed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and detected at their optimum wavelength with a photodiode-array detector. The resulting UV-spectra and the retention times were compared with those of reference materials to identify the unknown compounds. The recoveries ranged from 85-105%. The detection limit for the method was at about 50 ng/l depending on the compound while the detection limit for the detector ranged from 0.9-1.4 ng. Mononitrotoluidines, have been identified in concentrations ranging from 0.1-20 myg/l.
