Automated Solid Phase Extraction of EPA 525.2, Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water

EPA Method  525.2 outlines the procedure for the extraction and analysis of a wide range of organic compounds in water. The extraction method outlines the use of solid phase extraction for water matrix samples employing both cartridges and disks. Consistent with other EPA 500 series methods, EPA 525.2 incorporates a rigid set of QC and acceptance criteria requiring precise and reproducible analytical practices. The potential for error and the variability associated with manual extractions makes the benefits of automating these processes apparent.

The following procedure was developed to demonstrate the benefits of automating EPA Method 525.2 using Waters Oasis^® HLB cartridges, the FMS SPE and the FMS SuperVap™ Direct-to-Vial Concentration system. This one step method delivers rapid, consistent and reproducible extraction and concentration of water samples for analysis by GC/MS.