Comprehensive non-targeted analysis of contaminated groundwater of a former ammunition destruction site using 1H-NMR and HPLC-SPE-NMR/TOF-MS

Reproducibility in nontarget screening (NTS) of environmental emerging contaminants: Assessing different HLB SPE cartridges and instruments

Non-targeted screening (NTS) methods are integral in environmental research for detecting emerging contaminants. However, their efficacy can be influenced by variations in hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) instruments across different laboratories. In this study, we scrutinized the influence of five HLB SPE cartridges (Nano, Weiqi, CNW, Waters, and J&K) and four LC-HRMS platforms (Agilent, Waters, Thermo, and AB SCIEX) on the identification of emerging environmental contaminants. Our results demonstrate that 87.6 % of the target compounds and over 59.6 % of the non-target features were consistently detected across all tested HLB cartridges, with an overall 71.2 % universally identified across the four LC-HRMS systems. Discrepancies in detection rates were primarily attributable to variations in retention time stability, mass stability of precursors and fragments, system cleanliness affecting fold change and p-values, and fragment response. These findings confirm the necessity of refining parameter criteria for NTS. Moreover, our study confirms the efficacy of the PyHRMS tool in analyzing and processing data from multiple instrumental platforms, reinforcing its utility for multi-platform NTS. Overall, our findings underscore the reliability and robustness of NTS methods in identifying potential water contaminants, while also highlighting factors that may influence these outcomes.

NMR spectroscopy of wastewater: A review, case study, and future potential

NMR spectroscopy is arguably the most powerful tool for the study of molecular structures and interactions, and is increasingly being applied to environmental research, such as the study of wastewater. With over 97% of the planet's water being saltwater, and two thirds of freshwater being frozen in the ice caps and glaciers, there is a significant need to maintain and reuse the remaining 1%, which is a precious resource, critical to the sustainability of most life on Earth. Sanitation and reutilization of wastewater is an important method of water conservation, especially in arid regions, making the understanding of wastewater itself, and of its treatment processes, a highly relevant area of environmental research. Here, the benefits, challenges and subtleties of using NMR spectroscopy for the analysis of wastewater are considered. First, the techniques available to overcome the specific challenges arising from the nature of wastewater (which is a complex and dilute matrix), including an examination of sample preparation and NMR techniques (such as solvent suppression), in both the solid and solution states, are discussed. Then, the arsenal of available NMR techniques for both structure elucidation (e.g., heteronuclear, multidimensional NMR, homonuclear scalar coupling-based experiments) and the study of intermolecular interactions (e.g., diffusion, nuclear Overhauser and saturation transfer-based techniques) in wastewater are examined. Examples of wastewater NMR studies from the literature are reviewed and potential areas for future research are identified. Organized by nucleus, this review includes the common heteronuclei (¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹⁹F, ³¹P, ²⁹Si) as well as other environmentally relevant nuclei and metals such as ²⁷Al, ⁵¹V, ²⁰⁷Pb and ¹¹³Cd, among others. Further, the potential of additional NMR methods such as comprehensive multiphase NMR, NMR microscopy and hyphenated techniques (for example, LC-SPE-NMR-MS) for advancing the current understanding of wastewater are discussed. In addition, a case study that combines natural abundance (i.e. non-concentrated), targeted and non-targeted NMR to characterize wastewater, along with in vivo based NMR to understand its toxicity, is included. The study demonstrates that, when applied comprehensively, NMR can provide unique insights into not just the structure, but also potential impacts, of wastewater and wastewater treatment processes. Finally, low-field NMR, which holds considerable future potential for on-site wastewater monitoring, is briefly discussed. In summary, NMR spectroscopy is one of the most versatile tools in modern science, with abilities to study all phases (gases, liquids, gels and solids), chemical structures, interactions, interfaces, toxicity and much more. The authors hope this review will inspire more scientists to embrace NMR, given its huge potential for both wastewater analysis in particular and environmental research in general.

Impact of ozonation and biologically enhanced activated carbon filtration on the composition of micropollutants in drinking water

A pilot-scale drinking water treatment process for Songhua River, including conventional treatment (coagulation-settlement and rapid sand filtration), ozonation, biological enhanced activated carbon (BEAC) filtration, and chlorination disinfection, was carried out in this study. To investigate the impact of ozonation and BEAC filtration on removing the composition of micropollutants in drinking water, we detected the micropollutant composition from each stage of the treatment process by non-targeted analysis using a GC-MS technique and compared the results between effluents of single BEAC and O₃-BEAC processes. Aromatic compounds and esters could be abated efficiently during single BEAC filtration via biodegradation and adsorption; however, possible metabolic products (i.e., alkenes) were formed by biodegradation. Comparatively, O₃-BEAC process could reduce micropollutants much more significantly than single BEAC process especially for aromatic compounds including substituted benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) without the formation of metabolic products through the coupling effect of oxidation, biodegradation, and adsorption, suggesting that ozonation improved the removal potential of micropollutants in the BEAC process. In addition, conventional and novel chlorinated disinfection by-products were also measured during post-chlorination.

13C and 15N NMR identification of product compound classes from aqueous and solid phase photodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene

Photolysis is one of the main transformation pathways for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) released into the environment. Upon exposure to sunlight, TNT is known to undergo both oxidation and reduction reactions with release of nitrite, nitrate, and ammonium ions, followed by condensation reactions of the oxidation and reduction products. In this study, compound classes of transformation products from the aqueous and solid phase photodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) have been identified by liquid and solid state 13C and 15N NMR. Aqueous phase experiments were performed on saturated solutions of T15NT in deionized water, natural pond water (pH = 8.3, DOC = 3.0 mg/L), pH 8.0 buffer solution, and in the presence of Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM; pH = 3.7), using a Pyrex-filtered medium pressure mercury lamp. Natural sunlight irradiations were performed on TNT in the solid phase and dissolved in the pond water. In deionized water, carboxylic acid, aldehyde, aromatic amine, primary amide, azoxy, nitrosophenol, and azo compounds were formed. 15N NMR spectra exhibited major peaks centered at 128 to 138 ppm, which are in the range of phenylhydroxylamine and secondary amide nitrogens. The secondary amides are proposed to represent benzanilides, which would arise from photochemical rearrangement of nitrones formed from the condensation of benzaldehyde and phenylhydroxylamine derivatives of TNT. The same compound classes were formed from sunlight irradiation of TNT in the solid phase. Whereas carboxylic acids, aldehydes, aromatic amines, phenylhydroxylamines, and amides were also formed from irradiation of TNT in pond water and in pH 8 buffer solution, azoxy and azo compound formation was inhibited. Solid state 15N NMR spectra of photolysates from the lamp irradiation of unlabeled 2,6-dinitrotoluene in deionized water also demonstrated the formation of aromatic amine, phenylhydroxylamine/ 2° amide, azoxy, and azo nitrogens.

Nontargeted Analysis of a Non-Aqueous-Phase Liquid From a Chemical Manufacturing Site Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Non-aqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs), composed primarily of organic solvents and other immiscible liquids, can be found in the subsurface at many industrial sites. The chemical composition of NAPLs is often complex and, in many instances, difficult to fully characterize using conventional analytical techniques based on targeted compound analysis. Incomplete characterization of NAPLs leaves gaps in the understanding of the chemical profile at an impacted site. Previous work has shown that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy may be able to assist in the improved characterization of complex NAPL samples. In general, NMR spectroscopy provides an unbiased approach for the analysis of organic compounds because different classes of compounds are all treated and analyzed using the same methods. In addition, NMR spectroscopy provides unique structural information that can be used to elucidate unknowns. The present study describes the use of NMR spectroscopy as a nontargeted tool to characterize the composition of NAPLs collected from an impacted site. It is shown that NMR spectroscopy can be a complementary tool to be used in site assessments to help provide improved understanding of NAPL chemistry, leading to the development of improved conceptual site models and improved strategies for remedial and managerial activities at impacted sites. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;00:1-9. © 2019 SETAC.

Practical application of 1 H benchtop NMR spectroscopy for the characterization of a nonaqueous phase liquid from a contaminated environment

Nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) located at the surface of the water table and/or below the water table are often a significant source for groundwater contamination near current or former commercial/industrial facilities. Due to the complex and long history of many industrial sites, these NAPLs often contain a complex mixture of contaminants and as such can be difficult to fully characterize using conventional analytical methods. Remediation and risk assessment activities at sites containing NAPLs may, subsequently, be hindered as the contamination profile may not be fully understood. This paper demonstrates the application of bench-scale 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as a practical tool to assist with the characterization of complex NAPLs. Here, a NAPL collected from a contaminated site situated near a former chemical manufacturing facility was analyzed using a combination of one-dimensional (1D) 1 H NMR spectroscopy and two-dimensional (2D) 1 H J-resolved spectroscopy (JRES). It is shown that 1D NMR experiments are useful in the rapid identification of the classes of compounds present, whereas 2D JRES NMR experiments are useful in identifying specific compounds. The use of benchtop NMR spectroscopy as a simple and cost effective tool to assist in the analysis of contaminated sites may help improve the practical characterization of many heavily contaminated sites and facilitate improved risk assessments and remedial strategies.

Advancements in waste water characterization through NMR spectroscopy: review

There are numerous organic pollutants that lead to several types of ecosystem damage and threaten human health. Wastewater treatment plants are responsible for the removal of natural and anthropogenic pollutants from the sewage, and because of this function, they play an important role in the protection of human health and the environment. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has proven to be a valuable analytical tool as a result of its versatility in characterizing both overall chemical composition as well as individual species in a wide range of mixtures. In addition, NMR can provide physical information (rigidity, dynamics, etc.) as well as permit in depth quantification. Hyphenation with other techniques such as liquid chromatography, solid phase extraction and mass spectrometry creates unprecedented capabilities for the identification of novel and unknown chemical species. Thus, NMR is widely used in the study of different components of wastewater, such as complex organic matter (fulvic and humic acids), sludge and wastewater. This review article summarizes the NMR spectroscopy methods applied in studies of organic pollutants from wastewater to provide an exhaustive review of the literature as well as a guide for readers interested in this topic.

Bisphenol A, nonylphenols, benzophenones, and benzotriazoles in soils, groundwater, surface water, sediments, and food: a review

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are not commonly monitored in the environment, but they can enter the environment from a variety of sources. The most worrying consequence of their wide use and environmental diffusion is the increase in the possible exposure pathways for humans. Moreover, knowledge of their behavior in the environment, toxicity, and biological effects is limited or not available for most CECs. The aim of this work is to edit the state of the art on few selected CECs having the potential to enter the soil and aquatic systems and cause adverse effects in humans, wildlife, and the environment: bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), benzophenones (BPs), and benzotriazole (BT). Some reviews are already available on BPA and NP, reporting about their behavior in surface water and sediments, but scarce and scattered information is available about their presence in soil and groundwater. Only a few studies are available about BPs and BT in the environment, in particular in soil and groundwater. This work summarizes the information available in the literature about the incidence and behavior of these compounds in the different environmental matrices and food. In particular, the review focuses on the physical-chemical properties, the environmental fate, the major degradation byproducts, and the environmental evidence of the selected CECs.

Identification of unknown microcontaminants in Dutch river water by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In the past decade during automated surface water monitoring in the river Meuse at border station Eijsden in The Netherlands, a set of unknown compounds were repeatedly detected by online liquid chromatography-diode-array detection in a relatively high signal intensity. Because of the unknown nature of the compounds, the consequently unknown fate of this mixture in water treatment processes, the location being close to the water inlet of a drinking water supply company and their possible adverse public health effects, it was deemed necessary to elucidate the identity of the compounds. No data are available for the occurrence of these unknowns at downstream locations. After concentration and fractionation of a sample by preparative Liquid Chromatography, identification experiments were performed using Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HR-MS) combined with High Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (HR-NMR). Accurate mass determination of the unknown parent compound and its fragments obtained in MS/MS provided relevant information on the elemental composition of the unknown compounds. With the use of NMR techniques and the information about the elemental composition, the identity of the compounds in the different sample fractions was determined. Beside some regularly detected compounds in surface water, like caffeine and bisphenol-S, five dihydroxydiphenylmethane isomers were identified. The major unknown compound was identified as 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,5,3',5'-tetra(hydroxymethyl)diphenylmethane. This compound was confirmed by analysis of the pure reference compound. This is one of the first studies that employs the combination of high resolution MS with NMR for identification of truly unknown compounds in surface waters at the μg/L level. Five of the seven identified compounds are unexpected and not contained in the CAS database, while they can be presumed to be products generated during the production of resins.

New trends in the analytical determination of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in environmental waters

Since the so-called emerging contaminants were established as a new group of pollutants of environmental concern, a great effort has been devoted to the knowledge of their distribution, fate and effects in the environment. After more than 20 years of work, a significant improvement in knowledge about these contaminants has been achieved, but there is still a large gap of information on the growing number of new potential contaminants that are appearing and especially of their unpredictable transformation products. Although the environmental problem arising from emerging contaminants must be addressed from an interdisciplinary point of view, it is obvious that analytical chemistry plays an important role as the first step of the study, as it allows establishing the presence of chemicals in the environment, estimate their concentration levels, identify sources and determine their degradation pathways. These tasks involve serious difficulties requiring different analytical solutions adjusted to purpose. Thus, the complexity of the matrices requires highly selective analytical methods; the large number and variety of compounds potentially present in the samples demands the application of wide scope methods; the low concentrations at which these contaminants are present in the samples require a high detection sensitivity, and high demands on the confirmation and high structural information are needed for the characterisation of unknowns. New developments on analytical instrumentation have been applied to solve these difficulties. Furthermore and not less important has been the development of new specific software packages intended for data acquisition and, in particular, for post-run analysis. Thus, the use of sophisticated software tools has allowed successful screening analysis, determining several hundreds of analytes, and assisted in the structural elucidation of unknown compounds in a timely manner.

Carbon and nitrogen isotope effects associated with the dioxygenation of aniline and diphenylamine

Dioxygenation of aromatic rings is frequently the initial step of biodegradation of organic subsurface pollutants. This process can be tracked by compound-specific isotope analysis to assess the extent of contaminant transformation, but the corresponding isotope effects, especially for dioxygenation of N-substituted, aromatic contaminants, are not well understood. We investigated the C and N isotope fractionation associated with the biodegradation of aniline and diphenylamine using pure cultures of Burkholderia sp. strain JS667, which can biodegrade both compounds, each by a distinct dioxygenase enzyme. For diphenylamine, the C and N isotope enrichment was normal with ε(C)- and ε(N)-values of -0.6 ± 0.1‰ and -1.0 ± 0.1‰, respectively. In contrast, N isotopes of aniline were subject to substantial inverse fractionation (ε(N) of +13 ± 0.5‰), whereas the ε(C)-value was identical to that of diphenylamine. A comparison of the apparent kinetic isotope effects for aniline and diphenylamine dioxygenation with those from abiotic oxidation by manganese oxide (MnO(2)) suggest that the oxidation of a diarylamine system leads to distinct C-N bonding changes compared to aniline regardless of reaction mechanism and oxidant involved. Combined evaluation of the C and N isotope signatures of the contaminants reveals characteristic Δδ(15)N/Δδ(13)C-trends for the identification of diphenylamine and aniline oxidation in contaminated subsurfaces and for the distinction of aniline oxidation from its formation by microbial and/or abiotic reduction of nitrobenzene.

Fast extraction and dilution flow injection mass spectrometry method for quantitative chemical residue screening in food

A prototype multiresidue method based on fast extraction and dilution of samples followed by flow injection mass spectrometric analysis is proposed here for high-throughput chemical screening in complex matrices. The method was tested for sulfonylurea herbicides (triflusulfuron methyl, azimsulfuron, chlorimuron ethyl, sulfometuron methyl, chlorsulfuron, and flupyrsulfuron methyl), carbamate insecticides (oxamyl and methomyl), pyrimidine carboxylic acid herbicides (aminocyclopyrachlor and aminocyclopyrachlor methyl), and anthranilic diamide insecticides (chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole). Lemon and pecan were used as representative high-water and low-water content matrices, respectively, and a sample extraction procedure was designed for each commodity type. Matrix-matched external standards were used for calibration, yielding linear responses with correlation coefficients (r) consistently >0.99. The limits of detection (LOD) were estimated to be between 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg for all analytes, allowing execution of recovery tests with samples fortified at ≥0.05 mg/kg. Average analyte recoveries obtained during method validation for lemon and pecan ranged from 75 to 118% with standard deviations between 3 and 21%. Representative food processed fractions were also tested, that is, soybean oil and corn meal, yielding individual analyte average recoveries ranging from 62 to 114% with standard deviations between 4 and 18%. An intralaboratory blind test was also performed; the method excelled with 0 false positives and 0 false negatives in 240 residue measurements (20 samples × 12 analytes). The daily throughput of the fast extraction and dilution (FED) procedure is estimated at 72 samples/chemist, whereas the flow injection mass spectrometry (FI-MS) throughput could be as high as 4.3 sample injections/min, making very efficient use of mass spectrometers with negligible instrumental analysis time compared to the sample homogenization, preparation, and data processing steps.

LC-high resolution MS in environmental analysis: from target screening to the identification of unknowns

This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art and future trends of the application of LC-high resolution mass spectrometry to the environmental analysis of polar micropollutants. Highly resolved and accurate hybrid tandem mass spectrometry such as quadrupole/time-of-flight and linear ion trap/orbitrap technology allows for a more reliable target analysis with reference standards, a screening for suspected analytes without reference standards, and a screening for unknowns. A reliable identification requires both high resolving power and high mass spectral accuracy to increase selectivity against the matrix background and for a correct molecular formula assignment to unknown compounds. For the identification and structure elucidation of unknown compounds within a reasonable time frame and with a reasonable soundness, advanced automated software solutions as well as improved prediction systems for theoretical fragmentation patterns, retention times, and ionization behavior are needed.