State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China.
Environ Sci Technol. 2014 Apr 15;48(8):4289-97. doi: 10.1021/es4050314. Epub 2014 Apr 1.
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have raised considerable attention due to their wide commercial applications and recent discovery of unknown persistent analogues in aqueous environment. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of alkyltrimethylammonium (ATMAC), benzylakyldimethylethylammonium (BAC) and dialkyldimethylammonium (DADMAC) homologues were investigated in fifty-two municipal sewage sludge samples. ATMAC C10-18, BAC C8-18 and paired DADMAC C8:8-C18:18 as well as emerging homologues such as ATMAC-20, 22 and mixed DADMAC-16:18 and 14:16 were present. Furthermore, paired DADMAC-20:20 and mixed DADMAC-14:18, 18:20 were identified for the first time by nontarget qualitative strategies. A triple quadruple mass spectrometer quantification method was also initially verified with the aid of laboratory synthesized standards for the analysis of the mixed DADMACs with no certificated commercial standards currently available. The total concentrations of ATMACs, BACs and DADMACs were in the range of 0.38-293, 0.09-191 and 0.64-344 μg/g dry weight, respectively, and particularly, mixed DADMACs constituted 39 ± 7% of total DADMAC concentrations. The concentrations and profiles of individual homologues further suggested different QAC applications and fate in China. Significant correlations were also found among the concentrations of various QAC homologues as well as wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) characteristics (total organic carbon contents and daily treatment volumes).
季铵化合物（QACs）由于其广泛的商业应用以及在水环境中最近发现未知的持久性类似物而受到极大关注。在这项工作中，研究了 52 个城市污水污泥样品中烷基三甲基铵（ATMAC）、苄基二甲基乙基铵（BAC）和二烷基二甲基铵（DADMAC）同系物的存在和分布。存在 ATMAC C10-18、BAC C8-18 和配对的 DADMAC C8:8-C18:18 以及新兴同系物，如 ATMAC-20、22 和混合 DADMAC-16:18 和 14:16。此外，通过非靶向定性策略首次鉴定了配对的 DADMAC-20:20 和混合的 DADMAC-14:18、18:20。还初步验证了带有实验室合成标准品的三重四极杆质谱定量方法，用于分析目前尚无认证商业标准的混合 DADMAC。ATMACs、BACs 和 DADMACs 的总浓度范围分别为 0.38-293、0.09-191 和 0.64-344μg/g 干重，特别是混合 DADMAC 占总 DADMAC 浓度的 39±7%。单个同系物的浓度和分布进一步表明了 QAC 在我国的不同应用和命运。还发现各种 QAC 同系物的浓度以及废水处理厂（WWTP）特性（总有机碳含量和每日处理量）之间存在显著相关性。
