Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography as a tool for targeted and non-targeted analysis of contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater.

Wastewater is a major reservoir for chemical contaminants, both anthropogenic and biogenic. Recent chemical and toxicological analysis reveals the abundance and impact of these compounds, often termed contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Concurrently, incomplete removal of these compounds in wastewater treatment plants sets a precedent for detailed characterisation and monitoring of such substances.

Second dimension retention indices in "normal" orthogonality comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using single standard injection generated isovolatility curves.

This work builds upon recent developments in the field of second dimensional (2D) retention indices (RI) for use in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC), expanding application to the most commonly used "normal" orthogonality column configuration, where 2D RI are rarely employed. Initially, one dimensional retention indices for 80 wastewater pollutants were determined by GC-MS on a mid-polar ZB-50 column. In order to determine the 2D RIs for peaks detected in wastewater extracts separated by GC×GC -MS, a single injection of a ten-compound standard mix allowed the construction of model-generated isovolatility curves.