BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and the different xylene isomers), known for carcinogenic and neurotoxic effects, are common environmental contaminants. The first step for the development of the bioremediation technologies is the detection of intense microbial degradation in contaminated waters in the quest for the most active bacterial strains. This requires the multispecies analysis for BTEX metabolites which are considered as markers of microbial degradation. A direct (50 µL injection) HPLC-electrospray MS/MS analytical method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of 11 BTEX metabolites (o-, m-, p-toluic, salicylic, benzoate, benzyl, and phenyl succinic acids, 2-(1-phenylethyl)-, 2-(2-methylbenzyl), and 2-(3-methylbenzyl)-, 2-(4-methyl benzyl)-succinic acids) in bacterial cultures and ground waters down to 0.1 ng/mL. The optimization of the chromatographic conditions allowed for the resolution of position isomers of toluic and methylbenzyl-succinic acids. The stability of the analytes during sample storage tested in different conditions showed the instability of some of them when stored at room temperature. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated by the detection of all the investigated metabolites in a water sample of a deep aquifer hosting natural gas storage. A model laboratory study emphasized the importance of 2-(2-methylbenzyl)-succinic acid as a marker of anaerobic microbial degradation.

中文翻译：

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一种综合测定细菌培养物和地下水中 BTEX 厌氧降解代谢物的 LC-MS/MS 方法

BTEX（苯、甲苯、乙苯和不同的二甲苯异构体）以致癌和神经毒性作用而闻名，是常见的环境污染物。开发生物修复技术的第一步是检测受污染水中的强烈微生物降解，以寻找最活跃的细菌菌株。这需要对被视为微生物降解标志物的 BTEX 代谢物进行多物种分析。开发了一种直接（50 µL 进样）HPLC-电喷雾 MS/MS 分析方法，用于同时分析 11 种 BTEX 代谢物（邻-、间-、对-甲苯甲酸、水杨酸、苯甲酸、苄基和苯基琥珀酸，2-（细菌培养物和地下水中的 1-苯乙基）-、2-（2-甲基苄基）和 2-（3-甲基苄基）-、2-（4-甲基苄基）-琥珀酸）浓度低至 0.1 ng/mL。色谱条件的优化允许对甲苯甲酸和甲基苄基琥珀酸的位置异构体进行拆分。在不同条件下测试的样品储存期间分析物的稳定性表明，其中一些在室温下储存时不稳定。该方法的可行性通过在拥有天然气储存的深层含水层的水样中检测到所有研究的代谢物来证明。一项模型实验室研究强调了 2-(2-甲基苄基)-琥珀酸作为厌氧微生物降解标志物的重要性。在不同条件下测试的样品储存期间分析物的稳定性表明，其中一些在室温下储存时不稳定。该方法的可行性通过在拥有天然气储存的深层含水层的水样中检测到所有研究的代谢物来证明。一项模型实验室研究强调了 2-(2-甲基苄基)-琥珀酸作为厌氧微生物降解标志物的重要性。在不同条件下测试的样品储存期间分析物的稳定性表明，其中一些在室温下储存时不稳定。该方法的可行性通过在拥有天然气储存的深层含水层的水样中检测到所有研究的代谢物来证明。一项模型实验室研究强调了 2-(2-甲基苄基)-琥珀酸作为厌氧微生物降解标志物的重要性。