Strategies to improve the determination of polar compounds in environmental waters

Identifier:  TDX:2499

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2499

Authors:  Salas Acosta, Daniela

Abstract:
This Doctoral Thesis describes the application of recent strategies focused on improving the determination of polar compounds, to develop new methods for the analysis of environmental waters. These strategies are applied in two alternative techniques developed to address problems associated to polar compounds: hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and solid-phase extraction using mixed-mode ion-exchange polymeric sorbents. The HILIC retention mechanisms, influence of chromatographic parameters, advantages and its coupling with high-resolution mass spectrometry, were investigated for contaminants seldom studied by this alternative chromatographic mode. The application of mixed-mode sorbents was broadened beyond their conventional uses, proposing their application for the selective extraction of neutral compounds capable of establishing induced dipoles, and the simultaneous and selective extraction of basic and acidic compounds. The latter was achieved by either physically combining the materials or preparing new sorbents with zwitterionic character.