The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 10 No 1 (2006): 75 - 80

 

 

 

 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF HALOACETIC ACIDS COMPOUNDS (HAAs) IN DRINKING WATER

 

Marini Ab. Rahman, Md. Pauzi Abdullah*, Jamaluddin Mohd.Daud and Sadia Waseem

 

School of Chemical Science and Food Technology,

Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,

43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  mpauzi@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my

 

Abstract

The occurrence of disinfection by product (DBPs) in drinking water has been an issue of major concern during the last century due to their adverse health effect. The development and optimization of analytical methods for the determination of DBPs especially haloacetic acids (HAAs) in water are key points in order to estimate human exposure to treated water. This paper focuses on the development of method for the analysis of HAAs for routine analysis of these compounds in Malaysian drinking water. A solid phase extraction technique with final analysis by gas chromatography - electron capture detector system (SPE- GC-ECD) was successfully developed for the purpose. At optimal conditions, the mean recoveries of 95 % with relative standard deviation (RSD) below 4 % were attained. Precision and accuracy were determined at a concentration level of 20 to 60 pgll. Limits of detection ranged from 0.011 pgll to 0.193 pgll for all nine HAAs. A study was carried out to assess the level of HAAs in Semenyih Catchment (SC) and the Semenyih  River Water Treatment Plant (SRWTP). For all the nine HAAs targeted, only five components i.e MCAA, DCAA, TCAA, DBAA and BCAA were detected in different concentration of the raw and treated waters. None of HAA component was detected in water from Semenyih dam (SS1). Concentration of HAAs present  in  Semenyih  river  basin  (SC)  increased  from  SS  2  (the  most  upstream  point)  until  SS  9 (downstream of the river at the intake point) due to discharges from agro-based, sewage, earthworks and land-clearing and manufacturing industries. However higher concentrations of  HAAs were detected in the treated water of the SRWTP as expected due to the chlorination process.

 

Keywords: Haloacetic acids; solid phase extraction; liquid-liquid extraction; drinking water

 

Reference

1.     Johari, M. A. 1994. Perkembangan teknologi dalam sistem bekalan air. Paper presented at SKAM, KualaLumpur. 27-29 Sept.

2.     Sukiman, S. & Pauzi, A. 1993. Chemical Quality of Malaysian Drinking Water Sources. Drinking Water Quality: Microbiological and Public Health Aspects, UKM: 63-69.

3.     Dalvi, A.G.I., Rasheed, R. & Javeed, M.A. 2000. Haloacetic acids formation in desalination processes from disinfectants. J. Desalination. 129: 261-271

4.     US EPA 2003. Method 552.3. Determination of Haloacetic Acids and Dalapon in Drinking Water by Liquid-liquid Extraction, Derivatization, and Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection. Revision 1.0.

5.     EURACHEM. 1998. The fitness for purpose of analytical methods: A laboratory guide to method validation and related topics. Teddington, UK: EURACHEM.

6.     Green, J.M 1996. A practical guide to analytical method validation. Anal. Chem 68:305A-309A

7.     US EPA 1992. Method 552.1. Determination of Haloacetic Acids and Dalapon in Drinking Water by Ion- Exchange Liquid-Solid Extraction, Derivatization, and Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection. Revision 1.0.

8.     Md. Pauzi Abdullah, C.H.Yew, Mohamad Salleh bin Ramli and Rahmah Ali, 2003. Trihalomethanes (THMs) in Malaysian drinking water, Malaysian Journal of Chemistry, 5(1), 056-066.

9.     Md.  Pauzi  Abdullah,  C.H.Yew  and  Mohamad  Salleh  bin  Ramli,  2003.  Formation,  modeling  and validation of trikalomethanes (THM) in Malaysia drinking water: a case study in the districts of Tampin, Negeri Sembilan and Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia, Water Research, 37(19), 4637-4644.