HPLC Determination of Trace Levels of Benzylchloride, Chlorobenzene, Naphthalene, and Biphenyl in Environmental Samples

Abstract A simple HPLC method with on-line preconcentration has been developed for the separation and the determination of trace levels of benzylchloride, chlorobenzene, naphthalene, and biphenyl in tap and surface water. The separation was achieved on the column 150 × 3.2 mm filled with Separon SGX C18, dp=5mUm with the spectrophotometric detection at 220 and 250 nm. To enhance the selectivity of separation a water - methanol gradient was used. The method permits the measurement of benzylchloride, chlorobenzene, naphthalene, and biphenyl in environmental samples, with the detection limits of 10 ppt of naphthalene, 55 ppt of biphenyl, 90 ppt of benzylchloride, and 185 ppt of chlorobenzene (sample volume was 100 ml of water samples). The assayed procedure has been applied for the quantitative determination of benzylchloride, chlorobenzene, naphthalene and biphenyl in tap water and river water.