Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to determine alcohol ethoxylates and alkylamine ethoxylates in soil interstitial water, ground water and surface water samples.

Alcohol ethoxylates (AEs) and alkylamine ethoxylates (AMEs) are used as adjuvants in pesticide formulations. Analytical procedures for these compounds in environmental aqueous samples using LC–MS are presented. Sample preparation uses solid-phase extraction with Porapak Rdx cartridges. Detection limits and recoveries in ground water and surface water are, respectively, AEs: 16–60 ng/l, 35–93% and AMEs: 0.3–6 μg/l, 28–96%. The lower recoveries are obtained for the apolar surfactants. The procedure was employed on samples of ground water and soil interstitial water collected from farming areas. The individual AEs were detected at concentration levels ranging from 33 to 189 ng/l water.