Method development and optimization for the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in water at trace levels by static headspace extraction coupled to gas chromatography-barrier ionization discharge detection.

•New method for simple quantification of BTEX in water by HS GC-BID was developed.•The GC-BID method is able to determine BTEX within Italian legislative limits.•GC-BID is a promising alternative for analysing BTEX in water.•It is the first GC-BID application for BTEX analysis in water samples.