Water Science and Technology Vol 40 No 6 pp 251–256 © IWA Publishing 1999

The Use of Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) to Monitor for Major Organoleptic Compounds Produced by Chrysophytes in Surface Waters

Susan B. Watson^*, Brian Brownlee^**, Trevor Satchwill^*** and E. McCauley^****

^*Department of Biosciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
^**Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Branch, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, National Water Research Institute, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050 Burlington, ONT, L7R 4A6, Canada
^***City of Calgary Waterworks Division, Glenmore Waterworks Laboratory (35), P.O. Box 2100 Calgary, AB, T2P 2M5, Canada
^****Department of Biosciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

An efficient extraction method is needed to measure trace levels of taste and odour compounds in surface waters. This is usually accomplished by costly and involved analytical procedures. We have developed a simpler alternative, using a commercially available microextraction apparatus (SPME). With this technique we successfully monitored trace levels of some target organoleptics (unsaturated aldehydes e.g. heptadienal, nonadienal, and related compounds) which commonly cause aquatic taste and odour. We identified these compounds in culture material, and analyzed for them during the development of odourous chrysophyte blooms in two ponds. Preliminary work has also found a good recovery of some important off-flavour terpenoids (e.g. geosmin and MIB). SPME is labour and cost efficient, and therefore appealing to water treatment facilities for detection and monitoring. In addition, SPME requires only small sample volumes, and is therefore suitable for culture work.

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