Characterization of water-soluble synthetic polymeric substances in wastewater using LC-HRMS/MS

Synthetic water-soluble polymeric materials are widely employed in e.g. cleaning detergents, personal care products, paints or textiles. Accordingly, these compounds reach sewage treatment plants and may enter receiving waters the aquatic environment. Characteristically, molecules show a polydisperse molecular weight distribution, comprising multiple repeating units, i.e. homologous series (HS). Their analysis environmentally relevant samples has received some attention over last two decades, however, majority of previous studies focused on surfactants range <1000 Da. To capture wider mass versus polarity plane extend towards less polar contaminants, workflow was established using three different ionization strategies, namely conventional electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure photoionization chemical ionization. The data evaluation consisted suspect screening ca. 1200 entries non-target HS with pre-defined accurate differences 400 formulas units as input retention time shifts indicator. study fate substances wastewater process, stages, after primary secondary clarifier, ozonation followed by sand filtration, were sampled at Swiss plant. Remaining interfaces, ESI APPI, both polarities, non-targeted approach led to total number 146 (each minimum 4 members), up detected final effluent. Of HS, ca 15% could be associated hits approximately 25% transformation products suspects. Tentative characterization probable structure assigned almost half findings. In positive mode various sugar derivatives differing side chains, for negative structures sulfonic acids, characterized. decreased significantly stages. For detectable also biological oxidative change distribution lower often observed.