02/17/2016
Determination of PAHs or mineral oils in water using fluorescence spectroscopy - Simple analysis with high detection limits according to ASTM D 5412
Marion Egelkraut-Holtus , Shimadzu Europa GmbH
What do drinking water and wastewater have in common? Contamination. With wastewater, it's likely to think about the total sum of contamination, whereas with drinking water more detailed information on contaminations at trace level may be obtained. Contaminations in drinking water are considered to occur in the ppm concentration range or lower.
Various analytical techniques are available to address a wide range of analytical problems: Hydrocarbons (C5 - C44, and up to a chain length of C60) are chromatographically separated and determined quantitatively using GC analysis in accordance with DIN DEV 38409- H53 and ISO 9377-2.
FTIR spectroscopy is still used, in part, to determine hydrocarbon mineral oils and aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking water in the ppm down to the ppb range (DIN 38409-H18, although this standard expires due to a ban on the solvents used)
The total organic carbon content in drinking water and wastewater is determined using TOC analysis. The relevant TOC standard is EN 1484 'Water analysis - Guidelines for the determination of total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). This standard applies to a measurement range of 0.3 - 1,000 mg/L.
The techniques mentioned above are ideally suited for detection of impurities or contaminations in the lower ppb range. These techniques are subject to corresponding national and EU regulations.