Sensitive Analysis of Nitroguanidine in Aqueous and Soil Matrices by LC-MS

Nitroguanidine, a widely used nitramine explosive, is an environmental contaminant that is refractory, persistent, highly mobile in soils and aquifers, and yet under-researched. Nitroguanidine determination in water and soil poses an analytical challenge due its high hydrophilicity, low volatility, charge neutrality over a wide pH range, and low proton affinity which results in low electrospray interface (ESI)-MS sensitivity. A sensitive method for the determination of nitroguanidine in aqueous and soil matrices was developed. The method is based on reduction by zinc in acidic solution, hydrophobization by derivatization, preconcentration on C18 cartridge, and LC-MS quantification. The demonstrated limit of detection (LOD) reaches 5 ng/L and 22 ng/g in water and soil, respectively. Analysis of a contaminated site demonstrates that it is possible to map a contamination plume that extends over 1 km from the source of the contamination.