Volatile Organic Compounds in Waters - Agilent GC/MS Workflow Consumables Quick Reference Guide

Importance of Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in Water

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose significant risks to public health and drinking water quality due to their toxicity, persistence, and formation of disinfection by-products. Regulatory agencies worldwide establish threshold limits for VOCs in water matrices to prevent exposure to carcinogens and other harmful chemicals.

Objectives and Study Overview

This guide presents a complete workflow for VOC analysis in water, covering sample introduction, chromatographic separation, and data management aligned with EPA and ISO standard methods. Key objectives include:

• Streamlining compliance with EPA 524.2, 624.1, 8260C and ISO protocols
• Recommending optimal consumables for headspace, purge-and-trap, and SPME techniques
• Demonstrating system performance in a rapid trace-level case study

Methodology and Instrumentation

The workflow integrates three primary extraction approaches:

• Static headspace sampling via Agilent 7697A (ISO 20595:2018)
• Dynamic headspace purge and trap with Teledyne/Tekmar systems (EPA 524.2, 624.1, 8260C)
• HS-SPME for aromatic VOC capture (ISO 17943:2016)

Chromatographic analysis employs Agilent 8890 or 7890 GC coupled to 5977B MSD, featuring:

• Agilent J&W Ultra Inert columns (DB-624UI, DB-VRX) for minimal bleed and adsorption
• Ultra Inert liners, ferrules, and gold-plated inlet seals to preserve analyte integrity
• Inert EI source and OpenLAB software for accurate acquisition, analysis, and reporting

Essential consumables include vials, syringes, traps, spargers, SPME fibers and arrows, and certified reference materials for calibration and quality control.

Results and Discussion

A case study following EPA methods 524.2 and 8260C demonstrated:

• Reduction of a 71-compound VOC run to 15 minutes using a 20 m×0.18 mm DB-624UI column
• Detection limits in the low ppt range and ppq for select analytes
• Enhanced peak stability and resolution afforded by an inert flow path (Ultra Inert column, liner, and MSD source)

These findings confirm that optimized consumable selection significantly boosts throughput and sensitivity for trace VOC monitoring.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The proposed solution delivers:

• Regulatory compliance for drinking water testing laboratories
• High analytical sensitivity suitable for trace and ultra-trace quantification
• Flexible consumable options adaptable to diverse instrumentation
• Streamlined data processing and reporting via OpenLAB integration

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advancements likely to shape VOC analysis include:

• Greater automation in sample preparation to enhance laboratory throughput
• Development of next-generation inert materials to extend component lifetimes
• Adoption of high-resolution mass spectrometry for non-targeted screening
• Application of machine learning for automated peak deconvolution and data interpretation

Conclusion

Agilent’s end-to-end VOC in water workflow, combining specialized consumables with robust GC/MS instrumentation, provides rapid, compliant, and sensitive analysis. Implementation of this approach enables laboratories to ensure water safety through reliable trace-level detection.

Reference

1. Agilent Publication 5991-0029EN: Rapid Trace-level VOC Analysis using Purge and Trap
2. US EPA Methods 524.2, 624.1 and 8260C
3. ISO 20595:2018; ISO 15680:2003; ISO 17943:2016