Simultaneous LC-MS/MS Analysis of Bromate, Chlorate, Dalapon, and Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water Samples

Drinking water treatment plants that use chlorination for disinfection can create disinfection byproducts, or DBPs, such as bromate, chlorate, and several haloacetic acids (HAAs). Some of the most commonly studied HAAs are bromochloroacetic acid (BCAA), bromodichloroacetic acid (BDCAA), chlorodibromoaceticc acid (CBDAA), dibromoacetic acid (DBAA), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), monobromoacetic acid (MBAA), monochloroacetic acid (MCAA), tribromoacetic acid (TBAA), and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA). The EPA established drinking water regulations for bromate and five haloacetic acids: DBAA, DCAA, MBAA, MCAA, and TCAA. Dalapon is an herbicide with a similar structure as the HAAs and is also enforced under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs). A reverse-phase liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (RP-LCMS/MS) method was developed to analyze these compounds in a single run using a Nexera LC and the LCMS-8060RX. Evaluation of the method was conducted using reagent water, tap water, and the laboratory synthetic sample matrix (LSSM) described in EPA 557.