ISO 18857-2:2009 specifies a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GCMS) determination of selected alkylphenols, their ethoxylates and bisphenol A in non-filtered samples of drinking, ground, surface, and waste waters following solidphase extraction and derivatisation.
The lower limit of the working range depends on the matrix, on the specific compound to be analysed and on the sensitivity of the mass spectrometric detection unit. The method is applicable in a working range from 0,005 g/l to 0,2 g/l for 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol (OP), and its mono- (OP1EO) and diethoxylate (OP2EO), from 0,03 g/l to 0,2 g/l for 4-nonylphenol (mixture of isomers) (NP), and its mono- (NP1EO) and diethoxylate (NP2EO), and from 0,05 g/l to 0,2 g/l for bisphenol A (BPA).
Depending on the matrix, the method is also applicable to waste water in a working range from 0,1 g/l to 50 g/l for OP, OP1EO, OP2EO and BPA, and from 0,5 g/l to 50 g/l for NP, NP1EO and NP2EO. The working ranges are based on experimental work carried out in ruggedness testing. Water samples containing suspended matter at concentrations of more than 500 mg/l and waste water samples are extracted by passing a 100 ml sample through the cartridge.