We applied a solid-phase extraction method to the analysis of nonionic surfactants in environmental water samples by a spectrophotometric determination. The cartridge columns which we studied were an octadecyl-banded silica(C-18) cartridge, a cyano propyl-bonded silica(CN) cartridge, a polystyrene gel(PS-2) and an activated carbon (AC-2) cartridge. Elution was conducted using a 5% methanol-toluene solution. From the results concerning the recovery efficiency of heptaoxethylene dodecyl ether (standard for analysis of nonionic surfactant, C12EO7) using the above-mentioned cartridges, the C-18 cartridge was found to be higher than that of other cartridges. On the other hand, concerning the removal efficiency of contaminants, such as a cationic surfactant and anionic surfactant coexisting in water, the CN cartridge had a higher performance than the other cartridges. Therefore, the solid-phase extraction method, which combined a Cia cartridge with a CN cartridge, was most applicable for the analysis of nonionic surfactants. Also, the recovery percent of C12EO7 from environmental water samples was 97% to 104%.
