title: Fullerenes for aromatic and non-aromatic N-nitrosamines discrimination.
abstract: The detection of N-nitrosamines (NAms) in water supplies is an environmental and public health issue because many NAms are classified as probable human carcinogens. Non-aromatic (aliphatic and cyclic) NAms are more toxic than aromatic ones as their maximum admissible concentration is limited in drinking water (20-2000ngL(-1)). From that premise, a simple and novel method to discriminate between both fractions of NAms according to their toxicity was proposed. An automatic solid-phase extraction unit containing two sequential sorbent columns was constructed. A sample volume of 25mL was passed through a C(60) fullerene column in which only the aromatic fraction was retained, and the effluent was then passed through a Merck LiChrolut EN column where the non-aromatic fraction was retained. Following elution of the non-aromatic NAms with 150microL of ethyl acetate-acetonitrile (9:1), 1microL of the extract was injected into a GC/MS. A comparative study of C(60) and C(70) fullerenes and nanotubes revealed C(60) fullerene to be the best choice to selectively retain the aromatic fraction. The method exhibits a linear range of 15-20,000ngL(-1); limits of detection of 4-15ngL(-1); and an RSD of approximately 5%. Recoveries throughout the whole method were between 95% and 102% for six non-aromatic NAms spiked into several types of waters. Our study demonstrates that a simple and fast SPE system (10min per sample) with a customary GC-MS instrument permits the quantification of these amines in complex matrices with considerable sensitivity and selectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Campus of Rabanales, University of Córdoba, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jurado-Sánchez
authors.forename: Evaristo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballesteros
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallego
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037741:Fullerenes; D009602:Nitrosamines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water