- Teacher: Mihaela Jovanovska
- Teacher: Claudio Medana
The course introduces the principles and applications of mass spectrometry in the analysis of pollutants present in water. Starting from the properties of water as a matrix and the regulatory framework for drinking and mineral waters, the course addresses contaminant classification, the concepts of toxicity and risk, the main sample preparation strategies, and the choice between GC-MS, LC-MS and ICP-MS according to analyte properties. The course also explores target approaches based on tandem mass spectrometry and HRMS, suspect screening and non-target analysis approaches for the study of emerging contaminants and transformation products.
The MOOC is structured into 5 modules:
1. Water composition, drinking water, mineral water, trace components and Italian legislation.
2. Classification of pollutants, toxicity, risk assessment and partition coefficients.
3. Trace analysis in water: sample preparation, GC-MS, LC-MS and ICP-MS.
4. Analysis of known and unknown compounds: tandem mass spectrometry, HRMS, suspect screening and non-target analysis.
5. Main classes of pollutants, recognized and emerging contaminants in water.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• describe the main properties of water as a chemical matrix and distinguish drinking water and mineral water from a compositional and regulatory perspective;
• recognize the main classes of water contaminants, distinguishing natural and anthropogenic origin, traditional pollutants and emerging contaminants;
• interpret the concepts of acute toxicity, chemical risk, exposure, NOAEL, ADI and partition coefficients in relation to the behavior of pollutants in water;
• identify the main sample preparation strategies for the analysis of contaminants at trace and ultra-trace levels;
• make a reasoned choice between GC-MS, LC-MS and ICP-MS according to analyte volatility, polarity, thermal stability, and molecular or elemental nature;
• distinguish target analysis with MS/MS, HRMS analysis, suspect screening and non-target analysis, understanding their advantages, limitations and fields of application;
• connect the choice of analytical strategy to the objectives of environmental monitoring, regulatory control and identification of emerging contaminants.
Succesfully complete the quiz
Basic knowledge of general chemistry and analytical chemistry. Preliminary notions of chromatography, mass spectrometry, environmental chemistry and water safety are useful, but not essential.
Claudio Medana
claudio.medana@unito.it
For technical enquiries:
edvancedeh@unito.it