Investigating the occurrence of very polar and very mobile organic pollutants in urban water samples

Abstract

As the population increases, so does the demand for water, leading to a need for new sources. Groundwater is a viable alternative, but unfortunately it may be contaminated by organic pollutants that come mainly from wastewater and runoff water [1]. Unfortunately, limited studies have been conducted to address these pollutants, particularly very polar and very mobile (vPvM) compounds. These highly polar compounds demonstrate exceptional mobility in water, effectively propagating through the water cycle and resisting technical and biological barriers. Consequently, they present a high risk of infiltrating the drinking water supply [2]. To bridge this research gap, our study focuses on examining the occurrence of various vPvM pollutants in urban water samples collected from Barcelona. Due to the high polarity of these compounds, their retention in solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges is ineffective. Therefore, a preconcentration technique utilizing evaporation was employed to concentrate the samples for analysis. For accurate identification and quantification of these contaminants, High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) was chosen as the most promising instrumentation. Specifically, the Q-Exactive (Thermo Fisher) hybrid quadrupole- Orbitrap system coupled with an Acquity LC (Waters) was utilized. HRMS offers several advantages, including the ability to perform retrospective analysis and detect compounds for which standards are currently lacking. By employing this comprehensive approach, our study aims to contribute to the understanding of the presence and potential risks associated with vPvM pollutants in urban water. The results obtained will provide valuable insights for water resource management and the development of appropriate strategies to protect the quality of our water supply.