EASUMMIT: Environmental Capabilities

Significance of the Topic

Ensuring accurate detection and monitoring of a wide range of environmental contaminants is critical for safeguarding public health and meeting stringent regulatory requirements.
Rapid, reliable analysis of known and unknown pollutants supports water safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental stewardship.

Aims and Study Overview

This work presents an integrated suite of sample preparation, chromatographic separation, high–resolution mass spectrometry methods, and data workflows for comprehensive contaminant analysis.
It covers established EPA and industry methods (EPA 537, 539, UCMR3) and expands into non-target screening to identify emerging pollutants such as per- and polyfluorinated compounds, disinfection by-products, endocrine disruptors, ionic pesticides, and chlorinated paraffins.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sample preparation employs accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and both manual and automated solid phase extraction (SPE) to concentrate analytes from water matrices.
Separation platforms include high-efficiency ion chromatography (RFIC with suppressors), ultra/high-pressure liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography with modular injection and detectors.
Detection leverages triple quadrupole MS/MS and high-resolution hybrid quadrupole–Orbitrap systems (Q Exactive GC, Orbitrap LC–MS/MS) for targeted quantitation and full-scan screening.
Data are managed and interpreted via LIMS and spectral libraries for reliable identification of known and unknown compounds.

Main Results and Discussion

Method performance demonstrates sub–ppb detection limits and improved resolution through 4 μm particle columns in IC and high resolving power (>60 000) in Orbitrap systems.
Comparisons show equivalent or superior sensitivity of Orbitrap MS to conventional triple quads for perfluorinated acids and hormones under EPA methods.
Non-target screening uncovered several additional PFCs, novel iodo-DBPs, and chlorinated paraffin homologues with mass accuracy within ±3 ppm.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Enhanced throughput and robustness via automated SPE and modular chromatographic systems.
• Compliance support with regulatory methods and expanded non-target screening capability.
• Versatile workflows addressing a broad contaminant spectrum in drinking water, environmental, and industrial samples.

Future Trends and Potential Uses

The growing list of emerging contaminants drives demand for non-target screening and high-resolution MS methods.
Integration of automated sample prep, online SPE–LC, and expanded spectral libraries will streamline discovery of novel pollutants.
Advanced informatics and machine learning will further accelerate data interpretation and regulatory compliance.

Conclusion

The combined platform of RFIC, UHPLC/GC, high-resolution MS and robust data management delivers comprehensive, high-confidence detection of both regulated and emerging environmental contaminants.
This approach enhances laboratory efficiency, regulatory compliance, and protection of public health and ecosystems.

Reference

• US EPA. Method 537: Determination of Selected Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids in Drinking Water by SPE and LC/MS/MS.
• US EPA. Method 539: Determination of Hormones in Drinking Water by SPE and LC/ESI-MS/MS.
• Glüge J, Wang Z, et al. Science of the Total Environment. 2016;573:1132–1146.
• Richardson SD. Journal of Chromatography A. 2002.