title: Development of a multiple-class analytical method based on the use of synthetic matrices for the simultaneous determination of commonly used commercial surfactants in wastewater by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Discharges of surfactants from wastewater treatment plants are often considered as the principal vector of pollution into the environment. The analysis of complex matrices, such as urban wastewater, suspended solids and biological sludge requires careful preparation of the sample to obtain a sensitive, selective and reproducible analysis. A simple, fast, effective and multi-residue method based on the SPE (water) and QuEChERS (solid matrices) approaches using synthetic matrices for validation and quantification, has been developed for the determination of 16 surfactants in wastewater, suspended solids and biological sludge. This work resulted in an innovative method that was validated to detect and assess several classes of surfactants such as quaternary ammonium compounds, betaïns, alkylphenols and their ethoxylated or sulfated derivatives in urban wastewater and solid matrices. The optimised extraction method exhibited recoveries comprised between 83% and 120% for all the tested compounds in the dissolved matrix and between 50% and 109% for particulate matrix. The limits of quantification of all compounds were comprised between 0.1 and 1.0μg/L for dissolved matrix and between 2 and 1000ng/g (dry weight) in particulate matrix. Linearity was assessed for all compounds within the [LOQ-250LOQ] range. Confidence intervals were also computed in real matrices with less than 15% margin of error for all studied surfactants. This work has confirmed, first and foremost, that surfactants are indeed highly concentrated in urban wastewater. As expected, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates were present at significant concentrations (up to 1-2mg/L). In addition, although biological processing results in significant removal of the total pollution, the residual concentrations at output of WWTP remain significant (up to 100μg/L).
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280-CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Bergé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280-CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Giroud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbara
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280-CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Wiest
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Laure
authors.affiliation: SUEZ Infrastructures de Traitement, Direction Technique et Innovation, Degrémont SAS, 183 Avenue du 18 Juin 1940, 95508 Rueil-Malmaison, France.
authors.forename: Domenjoud
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: SUEZ Infrastructures de Traitement, Direction Technique et Innovation, Degrémont SAS, 183 Avenue du 18 Juin 1940, 95508 Rueil-Malmaison, France.
authors.forename: Gonzalez-Ospina
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Adriana
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280-CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France. Electronic address: emmanuelle.vulliet@isa-lyon.fr.
authors.forename: Vulliet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Emmanuelle
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D012722:Sewage; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D062065:Wastewater; D014867:Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C030641:alkylbenzyl sulfonic acid
keywords: Acidified QuEChERS; Emerging pollutants; LC–MS/MS; Surfactant; Synthetic matrix; Wastewater