Determination of Monochloroacetic Acid in Swimming Pool Water by Ion Chromatography-Conductivity Detection

  • Maria Pythias B. Espino University of the Philippines Diliman
  • Jamie P. Mendoza University of the Philippines Diliman

Abstract

In this study, an analytical method involving ion chromatography with conductivity detection was developed and optimized for the determination of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water. The ion chromatographic method has a detection limit of 0.02 mg L-1 and linear range of 0.05 to 1.0 mg L-1 with correlation coeff icient of 0.9992. The method is reproducible with percent RSD of 0.052% (n=10). The recovery of monochloroacetic acid spiked in different water types (bottled, tap and swimming pool water) ranged from 28 to 122%. In dilute solutions, chloride and bromide were simultaneously analyzed along with monochloroacetic acid using the optimized method. Chloride and bromide have detection limits of 0.01 to 0.05 mg L-1, respectively. The usefulness of the ion chromatographic method was demonstrated in the analysis of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water samples. In such highly-chlorinated samples, an Ag/H cartridge was used prior to the ion chromatographic determination so as to minimize the signal due to chloride ion. Monochloroacetic acid was detected in concentrations between 0.020 and 0.093 mg L-1 in three of the six swimming pool water samples studied. The presence of monochloroacetic acid in the swimming pool water samples suggests the possible occurrence of other disinfection by-products in these waters.

Keywords: Monochloroacetic acid, chloride, bromide, water, ion chromatography

Issue
Vol 25 No 2 (2013)
Section
Articles
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