Determination of nineteen 4-alkylphenol endocrine disrupters in Geneva municipal sewage wastewater.

A method for the determination of 18 isomeric 4-nonylphenols and 4-tert.-octylphenol in wastewater using GC-MS and LC-MS has been developed. This procedure has been applied to the determination of the free allylphenols and the analysis of these substances in the form of 4-alkylphenol polyethoxylates, their various hydrosoluble metabolites and other hydrosoluble 4-alkylphenol containing degradation products ("bonded" alkylphenols) after their cleavage with hydroiodic acid.