HPLC-MS/MS Determination of Nicotine in Industrial Waste Water

HPLC-MS/MS was applied to the determination of nicotine in industrial waste water. Sample of waste water collected at the out let of sewage pipe was filtered and separated by passing through RP-C18 chromatographic column (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm), with a mixture of CH3OH and H2O (95+5) as mobile phase. ESI and mode of positive ion and MRM were adopted in MS/MS. The fragment of nicotine with m/z 130.1 was selected for determination. Linear relationship was obtained in the range of 0.80-80.0 μg·L-1 of nicotine. Detection limit (3S/N) found was 0.05 μg·L-1. Test for recovery was made by standard addition method, giving results in the range of 96.0%-97.9%.