Enhanced fluorescence detection of dansyl derivatives of phenolic compounds using a postcolumn photochemical reactor and application to chlorophenols in river water

Abstract

Photochemical decomposition by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of dansyl derivatives of phenolic compounds in methanol-water mixtures leads to the formation of highly fluorescent dansyl-OH and dansyl-OCH/sub 3/. With substituted phenols as model compounds, it is demonstrated that inductive effects, caused by the substituents, play a major role in the gain in fluorescence signal (up to 8000-fold) that is obtained after postcolumn UV irradiation of the dansyl derivative, compared to that of the nonirradiated derivative. The optimal irradiation time for the dansyl derivatives is about 5.5 s. All monosubstituted phenolic dansyl derivatives now have a comparable limit of detection of approximately 200 pg (S/N = 3). The calibration curve of dansylated pentachlorophenol, using the postcolumn photochemical reactor under optimal conditions, is linear over at least 3 orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 (n = 9). Application of the system to the liquid chromatographic determination of highly chlorinated phenols in river water is presented. The repeatability of the system for a river water sample, spiked with 1 ppb pentachlorophenol, is 2.4% relative standard deviation (n = 5).