Nitrosamines

Significance of the Topic

Nitrosamines are a class of potent carcinogens that can form during industrial processes and contaminate environmental and drinking water sources. Their detection and quantification at trace levels are essential to ensure public health and regulatory compliance.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note presents a gas chromatographic method conforming to EPA Method 8270 for the separation and analysis of nine common nitrosamines. The primary goal is to demonstrate robust, reproducible quantification over a concentration range of 20–200 µg/mL using a stabilized 50% phenyl PDMS capillary column.

Methodology

The procedure employs direct liquid injection into a GC system with a temperature program of 100 °C held initially, ramped at 25 °C/min to 300 °C. Helium is used as the carrier gas at a head pressure of 50 kPa. A flame ionization detector (FID) records chromatographic peaks for subsequent integration and quantitation.

Used Instrumentation

• Gas chromatograph equipped with direct injection port (250 °C)
• Agilent VF-17ms capillary column, 0.53 mm × 30 m, 0.50 µm film thickness
• Helium carrier gas at 50 kPa
• Flame ionization detector (FID)

Key Results and Discussion

The optimized temperature program achieved baseline resolution for nine nitrosamines: N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosomethylethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosopyrrolidine, N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine, N-nitrosomorpholine, N-nitrosopiperidine, N-nitroso-n-butylamine, and N-nitrosodiphenylamine. Chromatograms displayed distinct retention times with minimal coelution. The method demonstrated linear response across the target concentration range and yielded reproducible peak areas for each analyte.

Benefits and Practical Applications

This GC–FID approach offers environmental and analytical laboratories a straightforward, cost-effective solution for routine monitoring of nitrosamines. It supports compliance with regulatory standards, aids in quality control of water and waste streams, and facilitates risk assessment studies.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances may include coupling this separation with mass spectrometric detection to enhance sensitivity and selectivity, implementing solid-phase microextraction for trace-level analysis, and developing portable GC systems for on-site screening. Automation of sample preparation and data processing will further streamline workflows.

Conclusion

The described GC–FID method using an Agilent VF-17ms column provides reliable separation and quantification of nine nitrosamines in accordance with EPA 8270 guidelines. Its simplicity, reproducibility, and compatibility with standard laboratory instrumentation make it a valuable tool for environmental and industrial analysis.