title: Mixed-mode solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to determine phenoxy acid, sulfonylurea, triazine and other selected herbicides at nanogram per litre levels in environmental waters.
abstract: The method presented uses a mixed-mode anion exchange SPE and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to analyze 5 sulfonylurea, 8 phenoxy acid, 12 triazine and 6 other herbicides in environmental waters. The mixed-mode SPE cartridge is able to retain a wide range of herbicides with acidic-neutral-basic characteristics, particularly the highly polar and acidic compounds clopyralid, dicamba and picloram. The neutral and basic herbicides can be effectively eluted with methanol, after which the acidic herbicides can be eluted using acidified methanol. The method has achieved an LOD of 0.7-3ng/L for the sulfonylureas, 4-12ng/L for the phenoxy acids and 0.4-30ng/L for the triazine and additional herbicides, with recoveries in the range 76-107%, 73-126%, and 65-104%, respectively. The precision of the method, calculated as relative standard deviation (RSD), was below 10% for both sulfonylurea and phenoxy acid herbicides, and less than 20% for the remaining herbicides. The developed method was used to determine the concentration of target herbicides in a range of environmental waters, and many of the target herbicides were detected at ng/L level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Farming Systems Research Division, TER 4 Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod 3085, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), c/o School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: pei.zhang@depi.vic.gov.au.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Farming Systems Research Division, TER 4 Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod 3085, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), c/o School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anhduyen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Farming Systems Research Division, TER 4 Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod 3085, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), c/o School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Farming Systems Research Division, Queenscliff Centre, Queenscliff 3225, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), c/o School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allinson
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000032:analysis*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D014227:Triazines / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D006540:Herbicides; D010636:Phenols; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D014227:Triazines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C011767:clopyralid; C042329:phenoxy radical
keywords: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry; Mixed-mode ion exchange SPE extraction; Phenoxy acid herbicides; Sulfonylurea herbicides; Triazine herbicides