| Abstract
| - A new LC/MS method has been developed for thesimultaneous measurement, in water and wastewatersamples, of all species contained in commercial samplesof linear type of alcohol ethoxylate (AE) surfactants includingfatty alcohols. The method requires derivatization of theterminal hydroxyl of each surfactant species with 2-fluoro-N-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulfonate, which imparts apermanent cationic charge, allowing all species includingthe fatty alcohols and those with only one ethoxylate tobe effectively detected by electrospray MS. Detection limitsof typically <10 ppt for each individual species wereattained in treated wastewater, in which total AEconcentrations (combination of up to 114 individualspecies) are not expected to exceed 10 ppb. The methodwas validated for clean water as well as sewage influentand effluent samples.
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