title: Determination of short-chain aliphatic, oxo- and hydroxy-acids in drinking water at low microgram per liter concentrations.
abstract: A fast and reliable ion chromatography method has been developed and applied to study the formation and consumption of organic acid ozonation by-products in a drinking water treatment plant. Water samples are injected directly into the ion chromatograph using a large sample loop (740 mu l) without any sample preparation step other than possibly filtration. Organic and inorganic anions are determined by separation on a high-capacity anion-exchange column followed by conductivity detection. The average recovery for the organic acids investigated (beta-hydroxybutyric, acetic, glycolic, butyric, formic, alpha-ketobutyric and pyruvic acid) ranged from 96 to 105%, and their method detection limits ranged from 1 to 5 mu g/l. When applied to samples taken from a drinking water treatment plant, the method proved to be reliable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peldszus
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Huck
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002087:Butyrates / Q000032:analysis; D020148:Butyric Acid; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004326:Drinking; D005561:Formates / Q000032:analysis; D006016:Glycolates / Q000032:analysis; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000032:analysis; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D005561:Formates; D006016:Glycolates; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D014867:Water; C031149:glycolic acid; C030544:formic acid; D020148:Butyric Acid; C005087:alpha-ketobutyric acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid