An Automatic Analyzer for Organic Compounds in Water Based on Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled to Gas Chromatography

An automated system for quasi-continuous and on-site monitoring of organic compounds in water is presented. It is based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography (GC) using a stopped-flow approach. The analytes are extracted either by direct or headspace SPME. All steps including sampling, sample preparation, extraction, chromatographic separation, and detection are fully automated. Using industrial wastewater as an example, the system was extensively validated both in the laboratory and in the field. Thus, relative standard deviations ranging from 1 to 7% were found for 24 compounds typically present in the wastewater of a chemical plant in Germany. Unattended operation of the system at a wastewater plant for more than one week is possible. Remote control via modem allows easy access to the system and the analytical data from any place.