Analysis of Musty Odor Compounds in Water by SPME-GC-MS/MS
MSTips No. 524
Musty odors (off-flavors) in water are primarily caused by 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) and Geosmin produced by cyanobacteria. In addition, anisoles—formed through the microbial metabolism (methylation) of chlorophenols used in wood preservatives and pesticides—are also known contributors. Because these compounds cause unpleasant odors even at extremely low concentrations, precise monitoring is essential for water quality management. This report presents an example of the rapid, simultaneous analysis of these musty odor compounds using the SPME-GC-MS/MS method. Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) is a technique in which a fine, polymer-coated fiber is exposed to the sample water (or its headspace) to adsorb and concentrate target components. We evaluated the detectability at a concentration of 1 ppt using standard samples, as well as the linearity of the calibration curves for quantification and the repeatability at the lower limit of quantification.