Haloacetic acid is one type of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) generated during water purification. The lower limit set by drinking-water quality control law in Japan are; <0.02 mg/L chloroacetic acid (MCAA), <0.04 mg/L dichloroacetic acied (DCAA), and <0.2 mg/L trichloroacetic acid (TCAA). In the past, GC/MS was used as the standard method for haloacetic acid analysis, but recently LC/MS method has also become a standard method (April, 2012 in Japan). Three haloacetic acids were simultaneously analyzed by a multi-mode column, RSpak JJ-50 2D, using isocratic condition.


Sample : Haloacetic acid
(Standard) 2 ng/mL each, 50 µL
MCAA, Chloroacetic acid
DCAA, Dichloroacetic acid
TCAA, Trichloroacetic acid

Tap water, 50 μL

Column       : Shodex RSpak JJ-50 2D (2.0 mm I.D. x 150 mm)
Eluent       : 25 mM CH3COONH4 aq.(pH9.2)/CH3CN=50/50
Flow rate    : 0.2 mL/min
Detector     : ESI-MS
               MCAA : SIM 93(-)
               DCAA : MRM 127 to 83(-)
               TCAA : SIM 161(-)
Column temp. : 40 °C