Chapter 2
Criteria for the Selection of a Proper
Enantiomer-Selective Analytical Method
During the past two decades and after the first edition of this monograph was
published in 2001, tremendous progress has been made with respect to sensitivity
and selectivity in scientific technology for ultra-trace analysis. Today, chromatographic separation and modern mass-selective detection have been significantly
improved as compared with the earlier methods introduced during the first edition.
High-resolution liquid chromatography today is the separation method of choice for
enantiomer-selective separation of many chiral environmental toxicants (Hühnerfuss
and Shah 2009; Kasprzyk-Hordern 2010; Lehmler et al. 2010; Li et al. 2010; Nillos
et al. 2010; Ali et al. 2012; Brooks et al. 2012; Ulrich et al. 2012; Kania-Korwel and
Lehmler 2016; Basheer 2017; Guo et al. 2017; Peluso et al. 2017). Many updated
monographs, books and reviews are today illustrating the versatility of enantiomerselective analytical methods, not just for environmental pollutant research (Inoue
and Ramamurthy 2004; Reddy and Miḥvar 2004; Francotte and Lindner 2006;
Subramanian 2007; Eeckhaut and Michotte 2009; Berthod 2010; Cutillas and
Timms 2010; Dasgupta 2010; Busch and Busch 2011; Garrison et al. 2011; Lin
et al. 2011).
However, today and in contrast to the majority of other application areas, ultratrace analytical methods used for the determination of environmental pollutants are
highly sensitive, but unfortunately, also still quite selective towards the compounds
to be analysed. Depending on physical parameters like boiling point, polarity, water
solubility, etc., each method is only reliable for a limited number of analytes, and
therefore, in addition, an adjustment and optimisation for each compound group
analysed are required. In general, highly sophisticated separation and detection
methods are available for the multi-component monitoring of the majority of the
known environmental pollutants. Today, the challenge for the modern environmental chemist is to identify and characterise new potential pollutants and develop
effective multi-compound or even non-target trace analytical methods for their
detection (Farre et al. 2012). Chromatographic separations driven by the solvent
strength of the mobile phases, temperature or pressure differences during the separation as well as electric forces (e.g. electrophoresis, electro kinetic chromatography)
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Kallenborn et al., Chiral Environmental Pollutants,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62456-9_2
19
Criteria for the Selection of a Proper
Enantiomer-Selective Analytical Method
During the past two decades and after the first edition of this monograph was
published in 2001, tremendous progress has been made with respect to sensitivity
and selectivity in scientific technology for ultra-trace analysis. Today, chromatographic separation and modern mass-selective detection have been significantly
improved as compared with the earlier methods introduced during the first edition.
High-resolution liquid chromatography today is the separation method of choice for
enantiomer-selective separation of many chiral environmental toxicants (Hühnerfuss
and Shah 2009; Kasprzyk-Hordern 2010; Lehmler et al. 2010; Li et al. 2010; Nillos
et al. 2010; Ali et al. 2012; Brooks et al. 2012; Ulrich et al. 2012; Kania-Korwel and
Lehmler 2016; Basheer 2017; Guo et al. 2017; Peluso et al. 2017). Many updated
monographs, books and reviews are today illustrating the versatility of enantiomerselective analytical methods, not just for environmental pollutant research (Inoue
and Ramamurthy 2004; Reddy and Miḥvar 2004; Francotte and Lindner 2006;
Subramanian 2007; Eeckhaut and Michotte 2009; Berthod 2010; Cutillas and
Timms 2010; Dasgupta 2010; Busch and Busch 2011; Garrison et al. 2011; Lin
et al. 2011).
However, today and in contrast to the majority of other application areas, ultratrace analytical methods used for the determination of environmental pollutants are
highly sensitive, but unfortunately, also still quite selective towards the compounds
to be analysed. Depending on physical parameters like boiling point, polarity, water
solubility, etc., each method is only reliable for a limited number of analytes, and
therefore, in addition, an adjustment and optimisation for each compound group
analysed are required. In general, highly sophisticated separation and detection
methods are available for the multi-component monitoring of the majority of the
known environmental pollutants. Today, the challenge for the modern environmental chemist is to identify and characterise new potential pollutants and develop
effective multi-compound or even non-target trace analytical methods for their
detection (Farre et al. 2012). Chromatographic separations driven by the solvent
strength of the mobile phases, temperature or pressure differences during the separation as well as electric forces (e.g. electrophoresis, electro kinetic chromatography)
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Kallenborn et al., Chiral Environmental Pollutants,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62456-9_2
19