This European Standard describes the gas chromatographic determination of 19 chlorophenols (2-, 3-, and4-chlorophenol, 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- and 3,5-dichlorophenol, 2,3,4-, 2,3,5-, 2,3,6-, 2,4,5-, 2,4,6 and 3,4,5-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,5-, 2,3,4,6-, and 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol) in drinking water, groundwater, rainwater, waste water, sea water and surface water.
This standard describes an acetylation followed by a liquid/liquid extraction and determination by gas chromatography and electron capture detection or mass selective detection. The method is validated for drinking water, surface water and waste water, but may be used for all above mentioned types of water. With this method chlorophenols can be determined over a range of concentrations from 0,1 μg/1 to 1 mg/1, depending on the quantity of sample used and the component sensitivity (level of chlorination) (see annex A).
In some cases complete separation of isomers cannot be achieved. Then the sum is reported.
This method may be applicable to other halogenated phenolic compounds, provided the method is validated for each case.