Abstract: A simple and fast method of solid phase extraction (SPE) disk for the determination of trace acrylamide was developed. Using this new technique along with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV) detection, the feasibility of SPE disk method for rapid enrichment was demonstrated in the determination of trace acrylamide in 500 mL tap water. Active carbon was chosen as the adsorbent to be incorporated into the SPE disk as it gave the best adsorption efficiency. Experimental parameters including solvent, elution volume, elution rate, breakthrough volume were optimized to give the highest efficiency of extraction. Under proper chromatographic conditions, acrylamide was easily separated from other impurities. A linear relationship between peak area and mass concentration in the range 0.05~0.5mg/L of acrylamide was established with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. The limit of detection was 20 ng/L. The recoveries for acrylamide with different concentrations and volumes ranged from 94.12% to 100.2%. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 2.09%~4.51% (n=3). The recovery for acrylamide spiked into a tap water sample was 79.96%. The method is simple, fast, sensitive and suitable for the determination of acrylamide in tap water.

Key words: acrylamide, active carbon, solid phase extraction disk, tap water, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)