Characterization of Disinfection By-Products in Arkhangelsk Tap Water by Liquid Chromatography/High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Disinfection of drinking water with chlorine-containing reagents leads to the formation of a large number of disinfection by-products, resulting from the chlorination of natural dissolved organic matter. High-performance liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry with solid-phase preconcentration on a polymeric sorbent was used to study the component composition of halogen-containing disinfection by-products in Arkhangelsk tap water. Fourteen chlorinated and brominated organic compounds, which belong to the classes of halophenols, aromatic acids, carbonyl compounds, and chlorine-substituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, have been found. Based on the analysis of MS/MS spectral data, possible structures of the detected disinfection by-products are proposed.