Research Progress of Sample Pretreatment and Detection Methods for Nitrilotriacetic Acid

Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and its salts are widely used as complexing agents in industrial production. Due to extensive use and discharge of NTA and its salts, NTA and its salts have been frequently detected in daily necessities, food and environmental water. Because NTA and its salts are toxic and carcinogenic to human being, the use and discharge of NTA species must be monitored and controlled. However, the concentration levels of NTA in environmental samples were low, and along with coexisted complex matrices, seriously impeded the measurement of NTA. Therefore, appropriate sample pretreatments, i.e., separation of the interfering component and preconcentration of the target compound, were indispensable prior to the instrumental detection of NTA. The sample pretreatment methods of NTA, such as solid phase extraction, chelation extraction, etc., and the instrumental detection methods, such as gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, ion chromatography, etc. were reviewed. In addition, the progress and feature of the analytical studies were also summarized in order to provide some useful information for the related researchers.