Analysis of Triazine Pesticides in Wastewater by GC/MS

Significance of the topic

Analytical detection of triazine pesticides in wastewater is crucial for environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance. Triazines pose ecological and health risks if released untreated, making sensitive and accurate methods essential to meet USEPA Method 619 requirements.

Objectives and study overview

The study aims to demonstrate the performance of the Thermo Scientific TRACE GC system equipped with a TraceGOLD™ TG-5SilMS column and IonTrap MS for USEPA Method 619 analysis of triazine herbicides in wastewater.

Methodology and instrumentation used

• Sample preparation: 1 ng/μL mixed triazine standard in acetone.
• Gas chromatography: TRACE GC Ultra, TriPlus autosampler, 30 m×0.25 mm×0.25 μm TG-5SilMS column; injection 1 μL splitless, injector 275 °C; oven program 60 °C (5 min) to 300 °C at 8 °C/min (hold 10 min); He flow 1.5 mL/min; transfer line 300 °C.
• Mass spectrometry: Thermo Scientific IonTrap MS ITD230LT, EI+ 70 eV, 45–450 amu, segmented scan for ion statistics optimization.
• Data processing: Xcalibur software.

Main results and discussion

• Complete baseline separation of 14 target triazine analytes with sharp peaks and minimal tailing.
• The inert silarylene stationary phase minimized active compound interactions, ensuring symmetric peak shapes and high efficiency.
• Chromatographic performance confirmed by total ion chromatogram at 1 ng/μL and retention time order consistent with low-polarity phase characteristics.

Benefits and practical applications

• Ensures compliance with USEPA Method 619 for municipal and industrial wastewater monitoring.
• Enhanced throughput and robustness due to stable column performance and efficient analyte separation.
• Applicable to environmental laboratories, QA/QC workflows, and industrial discharge testing.

Future trends and potential applications

• Integration with automated sample preparation and high-throughput platforms.
• Use of advanced MS/MS techniques to lower detection limits and improve selectivity.
• Extension to emerging organic contaminants beyond triazine herbicides.
• Deployment in real-time monitoring systems and portable GC/MS instruments.

Conclusion

The TraceGOLD TG-5SilMS column on the Thermo Scientific TRACE GC–MS platform delivers reliable, inert performance for the analysis of triazine pesticides in wastewater, fulfilling USEPA Method 619 requirements with no significant peak tailing and excellent separation efficiency.

References

• USEPA Method 619, Analytical Methods for Wastewater Monitoring