High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of a linear alkylbenzenesulfonate and its environmental biodegradation metabolites.

A simple and fast method is described for determining a linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) and its potential sulfonated and unsulfonated metabolites in natural waters. This method includes extraction of 60 ml of water with an octadecyl-bonded silica (C18) mini-column and analysis of the extract by high-performance liquid chromatography. A reversed-phase column with a 0.008 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 2.2)-acetonitrile gradient as the mobile phase provides the separation. A UV detector, set at 215 nm, is employed.