Extractions of Phenols in Water Using the Empore™ HLB SPE EZ-Disk

Abstract

This application note demonstrates the performance of the CDS Empore™ HLB 25mm EZ-Disk to extract 19 different species of phenols from reagent grade water. Water samples were processed with the assistance of the EZ-Trace SPE workstation. The recovery is determined for all 19 phenols for this method and demonstrates that the Empore™ HLB EZ-Disk is effective for extraction small polar molecules such as phenols.

Introduction

Phenolic compounds are widely used throughout industry as flavoring agents, antioxidants, and other applications providing health benefits. Due to the prominence of phenolic compounds in industrial processes, phenols are some of the most common organic pollutants in waterways. Concentrations of phenols are strictly regulated due to their toxicity to both humans and aquatic life. Additionally, during the chemical treatment process, phenols further react to form by-products that can have potentially mutagenic or carcinogenic effects on humans. Due to both solubility and volatility, phenols are difficult to extract and quantify from water samples.¹