AWWA QTC97127

Under the proposed Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts (D/DBP) Rule, new maximum contaminant levels will be set for suspected carcinogens found in drinking water. New analytical methods will also be required to monitor chlorinated byproducts such as haloacetic acids (HAAs). Chlorinated acid herbicides (CAHs), currently regulated under Phase II and V of the Safe Drinking Water Act, have chemical structures which are similar to HAAs. This structural similarity suggests that a single analytical method can be developed to analyze both groups of acids. The objective of this study was to expand EPA Method 552.2, which utilizes acidic methanol and avoids carcinogenic reagents, to include the CAHs, thereby increasing laboratory safety and performance. The acidic methanol methylation of CAHs was studied by comparing CAHs methyl esters with CAHs methylated by acidic methanol. The study also examined whether CAHs and HAAs can be analyzed together using EPA Method 552.2.