Quantitation of estrogens in ground water and swine lagoon samples using solid-phase extraction, pentafluorobenzyl/trimethylsilyl derivatizations and gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A method was developed for the confirmed identification and quantitation of 17beta-estradiol, estrone, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol and 16alpha-hydroxy-17beta-estradiol (estriol) in ground water and swine lagoon samples. Centrifuged and filtered samples were extracted using solid-phase extraction (SPE), and extracts were derivatized using pentafluorobenzy] bromide (PFBBR) and N-trimethylsilylimidazole (TMSI). Analysis was done using negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). Deuterated analogs of each of the estrogens were used as isotope dilution standards (IDS) and were added to the samples before extraction. A limit of quantitation of 1 ng/l in ground water was obtained using 500 ml of ground water sample, 1.0 ml of extract volume and the lowest calibration standard of 0.5 pg/microl. For a 25 ml swine lagoon sample, the limit of quantitation was 40 ng/l. The average recovery of the four estrogens spiked into 500 ml of distilled water and ground water samples (n = 16) at 2 ng/l was 103% (S.D. 14%). For 25 ml of swine lagoon samples spiked at 500, 1000 and 10,000 ng/l, the average recovery for the four estrogens was 103% (S.D. 15%). The method detection limits (MDLs) of the four estrogens spiked at 2 ng/l in a 500 ml of ground water sample ranged from 0.2 to 0.6 ng/l. In swine lagoon samples from three different types of swine operations, estrone was found at levels up to 25,000 ng/l, followed by estriol and estradiol up to levels at 10,000 and 3000 ng/l, respectively. It was found that pretreatment of swine lagoon samples with formaldehyde was necessary to prevent conversion of estradiol to estrone.     

Determination of estrogens in river water by gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical-ionization mass spectrometry.

A method for the determination of estrogens (17alpha-estradiol, 17beta-estradiol, estrone, ethynyl estradiol, and estriol) as pentafluorobenzyl-trimethylsilyl (PFB-TMS) derivatives by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with negative-ion chemical-ionization (NICI) is described. The NICI of all the derivatives produced an intense [M-PFB]- ion as the base peak. The reagent gas (methane) flow-rate and the ion source temperature were determined to be 2.0 ml/min and 240 degrees C, respectively, for the optimized NICI-selected ion monitoring (SIM) conditions. The sensitivities of the PFB-TMS derivatives in the NICI mode were 8.0-130 times higher than those of the PFB-TMS derivatives in electron ionization (EI) mode, and 12-25 times higher than those of all the TMS derivatives in the EI mode. This method was applied to the analysis of estrogens in river water using a solid-phase extraction as the sample preparation. The recoveries of the target chemicals from a river-water sample spiked with standards at 2 ng/l level were 85.8-126.5% (RSD, 6.2-13.0%). The methodical detection limits ranged from 0.10 to 0.28 ng/l.     

Simultaneous determination of 64 pesticides in river water by stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for determining 68 pesticides in river water using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE)-thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is described. SBSE sampling was optimized for sample solution pH, salting-out and methanol addition. Although salting-out enhanced the ability of the method to extract most of the pesticides with low absolute recoveries, the absolute recoveries of four pesticides were not improved by salting-out. The detection limits of the method for the pesticides ranged from 0.2 to 20 ng/l. Analyte recoveries from a river water sample spiked with standards at 10 and 100 ng/l were 58.5–132.0% (RSD: 1.8–15.8%) and 61.0–121.3% (RSD: 1.4–20.2%), respectively.     

Analysis of estrogens in river sediments by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. Comparison of tandem mass spectrometry and time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A method has been developed and optimised for the determination of two natural estrogens, estrone (E1) and 17beta-estradiol (E2), and one synthetic estrogen, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2), in river sediments at the sub-ng/g level. This procedure includes microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE), solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with electrospray ionisation. Using sediments spiked with the three estrogens at 10 ng/g wet weight, efficient extraction (>92%) of all the three analytes was achieved by MASE, and whole-procedure recoveries ranged from 82 to 98%. Optimisation of the LC separation allowed for substantial reduction of ionisation suppression in the electrospray source to a final level of <18% suppression. Time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) and MS/MS were compared for the analysis of sediment extracts, with the latter technique proving to be the most selective. The method detection limits achieved by LC-MS/MS were 15, 30 and 40 pg/g for E1, E2 and EE2, respectively, which were 13-fold lower than those obtained by LC-TOF-MS. Analysis of river sediments collected from the River Ouse, UK, showed the presence of the natural estrogens at sub-ng/g level. E1 levels ranged from 0.40 ng/g (dry weight) to 3.30 ng/g while E2 levels ranged from <0.03 to 1.20 ng/g and EE2 was never detected (<0.04 ng/g).     

Analysis of estrogens in river water and effluents using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-negative chemical ionisation mass spectrometry of the pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives

A procedure was developed for the analysis of estrogens in environmental water and effluents. Samples were extracted by passing through polymer-impregnated solid-phase extraction discs or C18 cartridges, followed by gas chromatography-negative chemical ionisation mass spectrometry of the pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives. The derivatives were stable and gave diagnostic negative molecular ions as the base peak for each of the major estrogens studied. The absolute recovery of estrogens spiked into clean groundwater using the disc procedure was 84-116% at the 10 ng l(-1) level (calculation not based on use of internal standards). Using doubly deuterated estradiol as internal standard added prior to extraction, the % relative standard deviation of estrogen extraction and analysis in spiked groundwater at the 10 ng(-1) level was 2.6-9.8%. Detection limits were 0.2 ng l(-1) or below for the major estrogens, based on a 2.5 litre sample. The most abundant estrogen was estrone, with concentrations over the range 6.4-29 ng l(-1) in effluents, and 0.2 to 17 ng l(-1) in water from the River Thames.     

Preparation and characterization of magnetic chitosan microsphere sorbent for separation and determination of environmental estrogens through SPE coupled with HPLC

In this paper, a new separation sorbent of magnetic chitosan microsphere was prepared by means of suspension process using magnetic-Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles as magnetic material and glutaraldehyde as the cross-linker. The morphology and properties of magnetic chitosan microspheres were characterized by FT-IR, SEM and adsorption test, and the results showed that they had good recognition, high selective ability and fast adsorption-desorption dynamics for estriol (E3), 17β-estradiol (E2) and diethylstilbestrol (DES). Applying this material as SPE sorbent, a method for separation, enrichment and analysis of estrogens in samples coupled with HPLC was developed. Under the optimized condition, the detection limit (S/N=3) for three estrogens was 3.2-20.1 ng/L, and the RSD for five replicate extractions of 50 μg/L E3, E2 and DES was 4.6-8.3%. The blank river water spiked with E3, E2 and DES at 0.05 and 0.2 mg/L levels were extracted and determined by the developed method with good recoveries ranging from 85.5 to 103.7%.     

固相萃取-超高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法同时测定不同水体中的6种雌激素

建立了固相萃取-超高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱（SPE-UPLC-MS/MS）联用技术同时测定不同水体中6种雌激素（雌三醇、17-β-雌二醇、17- α-雌二醇、雌酮、炔雌醇、己烯雌酚）的分析方法。样品经HLB固相萃取柱提取和净化后经BEH C18色谱柱分离,采用MS/MS多反应监测模式（MRM）进行分析。采用内标法定量,以雌三醇-D3、17-β-雌二醇-D2、己烯雌酚-D8为内标。当6种雌激素的质量浓度在1.0~100 μg/L线性范围内时,所得回归方程的相关系数（r）均不小于0.9982;方法检出限为0.27~0.45 ng/L,定量限为1.08~1.78 ng/L;在高、中、低3个添加水平下的回收率为68.3%~97.4%,相对标准偏差（RSD）小于15%。该方法灵敏、准确,检测范围广,分析速度快,适用于地表水、废水、饮用水源水及生活用水等不同水体中6种雌激素的同时检测。     

Determination of triazine pesticides and related compounds in environmental water by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for the determination of 5 triazine herbicides and 12 degradation products in environmental water samples using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) has been developed. The pesticides in water were extracted with two types of solid phase: a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and a graphitized carbon black. Desorption solvents for the extracted compounds were acetone for the styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and methanol for the graphitized carbon black. Overall recoveries from ground water and river water ranged from 73% to 111%. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.2 to 28 ng l(-1). This method was applied to several ground water samples.     

Trace analysis of diethylstilbestrol, dienestrol and hexestrol in environmental water by Nylon 6 nanofibers mat-based solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the determination of diethylstilbestrol (DES), dienestrol (DE) and hexestrol (HEX) was developed by using the Nylon 6 nanofibers mat-based solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). These estrogens were separated within 8 min by LC using an ODS column and methanol/water (80/20, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). Electrospray ionization conditions in the negative ion mode were optimized for MS detection of the estrogens. Under the optimum SPE conditions, all target analytes in 50 mL environmental water samples can be completely extracted by 1.5 mg Nylon 6 nanofibers mat at flow rate of 3.0 mL min(-1) and easily eluted by passage of 500 μL mobile phase. By using the novel SPE-LC/MS method, good linearity of the calibration curve (r(2) ≥ 0.9992) was obtained in the concentration range from 0.10 ng L(-1) to 1.0 mg L(-1) (except for DE which was 0.20 ng L(-1) to 1.0 mg L(-1)) for all analytes examined. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) of the three estrogens ranged from 0.05 ng L(-1) to 0.10 ng L(-1). This method was applied successfully to the analysis of environmental water samples without any other pretreatment and interference peaks. Several water samples were collected from Jinchuan River and Xuanwu Lake, and in Jinchuan River water DES was detected at 0.13 ng L(-1). The recoveries of estrogens spiked into tap water were above 98.2%, and the relative standard deviations were below 4.78%.     

Determination of steroid estrogens in wastewater by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

This paper discusses the requirement for, and presents an analytical procedure for, the determination of four steroid hormones and a conjugated steroid (estrone-3-sulfate) in wastewaters. The method utilizes LC/MS/MS following solid phase extraction and a two stage clean-up procedure, achieving limits of detection of 0.2 ng l(-1) for estriol, 17beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol, and 0.1 ng l(-1) for estrone and the conjugate. The approach demonstrates that using appropriate clean-up and deuterated internal standards, the impact of matrix effects on ionization can be overcome to reliably determine estrogens at environmentally relevant concentrations. The robustness of the method was demonstrated by achieving recoveries of >83% for all steroids in settled sewage and final effluent samples with relative standard deviations of 0.5-12%.     

Solid-phase extraction using molecularly imprinted polymer for selective extraction of natural and synthetic estrogens from aqueous samples

A method is proposed for the clean-up and preconcentration of natural and synthetic estrogens from aqueous samples employing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as selective sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE). The selectivity of the MIP was checked toward several selected natural and synthetic estrogens such as estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (β-E2), 17α-estradiol (α-E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), dienestrol (DIES) and diethylstilbestrol (DES). Ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a TSQ triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (QqQ) was used for analysis of target analytes. The chromatographic separation of the selected compounds was performed in less than 2 min under isocratic conditions. The method was applied to the analysis of estrogens in spiked river and tap water samples. High recoveries (>82%) for estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol, estriol and 17α-ethinylestradiol were obtained. Lower but still satisfactory recoveries (>48%) were achieved for dienestrol and diethylstilbestrol. The method was validated and found to be linear in the range 50-500 ng L(-1) with correlation coefficients (R(2)) greater than 0.995 and repeatability relative standard deviation (RSD) below 8% in all cases. For analysis of 100-mL sample, the method detection limits (LOD) ranged from 4.5 to 9.8 ng L(-1) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) from 14.9 to 32.6 ng L(-1). To demonstrate the potential of the MIP obtained, a comparison with commercially available C(18) SPE was performed. Molecularly imprinted SPE showed higher recoveries than commercially available C(18) SPE for most of the compounds. These results showed the suitability of the MIP-SPE method for the selective extraction of a class of structurally related compounds such as natural and synthetic estrogens.     

Comparison of electrospray ionization,atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization for determining estrogenic chemicals in water by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with chemical derivatizations

This study compared the sensitivities and matrix effects of four ionization modes and four reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (LC) systems on analyzing estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), bisphenol A (BPA) and their derivatives of dansyl chloride or pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) in water matrixes using a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). The four probes were electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and APCI/APPI; the four LC systems were ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with or without post-column split, a mixed-mode column and two-dimensional LC (2D-LC). Dansylated compounds with ESI at UPLC condition had the most intense signals and less matrix effects of the various combinations of ionization and LC systems. The on-column limits of detection (LODs) of dansylated estrogens by SRM were 0.05–0.20 pg, and the LODs in sewage treatment plant effluent and in river water were 0.23–0.52 and 0.56–0.91 ng/L, respectively. The LODs using selected ion monitoring (SIM) reached low ng/L levels in real samples and measured concentrations were comparable with those of SRM.     

Simultaneous determination of degradation products of nonylphenol polyethoxylates and their halogenated derivatives by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after trimethylsilylation

An efficient method for the simultaneous determination of the degradation products of nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPnEOs, n = number of ethoxy units), i.e., nonylphenol (NP), NPnEOs (n = 1-3), nonylphenoxy carboxylic acids (NPnECs, n = 1-2, number of ethoxy units plus an acetate) and their halogenated derivatives (XNP, XNP1EO and XNP1EC; X = Br or Cl), in water samples were developed. After trimethylsilylation with N,O-bis(trimethysilyl)acetamide, all the analytes were determined by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) with electron ionization (EI). The ion peaks of [M - 85]+ of the derivatives were selected as precursor ions and their product ions showing the highest intensities were used for the quantitative analysis. The instrumental detection limits were in the range from 2.1 to 11 pg. The recoveries of the analytes from the water samples were optimized by using solid-phase extraction (SPE). The deuterated reagents of octylphenol, octylphenol monoethoxylate and octylphenoxyacetic acid were used as the surrogates. The method detection limits (500 ml water sample) using C18 SPE were from 2.5 to 18 ng/l. The recoveries from spiked pure water and the environmental water samples were greater than 78%. The method was successfully applied to environmental samples. Remarkably, the concentrations of the halogenated compounds (CINP, CINP1EO and BrNP1EO) were detected at the hundreds of ng/l levels in the Neya river.     

Fully automated analysis of estrogens in environmental waters by in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the determination of five estrogens, estrone, 17beta-estradiol, estriol, ethynyl estradiol, and diethylstilbestrol, was developed using a fully automated method consisting of in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). These estrogens were separated within 8 min by HPLC using an XDB-C8 column and 0.01% ammonia/acetonitrile (60/40, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. Electrospray ionization conditions in the negative ion mode were optimized for MS/MS detection of the estrogens. The optimum in-tube SPME conditions were 20 draw/eject cycles of 40 microL of sample using a Supel-Q PLOT capillary column as an extraction device. The extracted compounds were easily desorbed from the capillary by passage of the mobile phase, and no carryover was observed. Using the in-tube SPME LC/MS/MS method, good linearity of the calibration curve (r > or = 0.9996) was obtained in the concentration range from 10 to 200 pg/mL for all compounds examined. The limits of detection (S/N= 3) of the five estrogens examined ranged from 2.7 to 11.7 pg/mL. The in-tube SPME method showed 34-90-fold higher sensitivity than the direct injection method (5 microL injection). This method was applied successfully to the analysis of environmental water samples without any other pretreatment and interference peaks. Several surface water and wastewater samples were collected from the area around Asahi River, and estriol was detected at 35.7 pg/mL in the effluent of a sewage treatment plant. The recoveries of estrogens spiked into river waters were above 86%, except for estriol, and the relative standard deviations were below 0.9-8.8%.     

Microwave-accelerated derivatization for the simultaneous gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of natural and synthetic estrogenic steroids

A rapid microwave-accelerated derivatization process for the GC-MS analysis of steroid estrogens, estrone (E1), 17beta-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2) and mestranol (MeEE2), was developed. Under microwave irradiation, the five estrogenic hormones studied were simultaneously derivatized with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA)+trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) in pyridine solution. Effects of irradiation time (15-120 s) and power level (240-800 W) on the yield of the derivatization were investigated. The derivatization under the irradiation of 800 W microwave for 60s produced comparable results when compared with the conventional heating process in a sand bath for 30 min at 80 degrees C in terms of derivatization yield, linearity and precision for all steroid hormones tested. The calibration curves are linear between 3.00 and 3.00 x 10(2) microg mL(-1). The square of the regression coefficients (R(2)) range from 0.979 to 1.000. The applicability of the method was evaluated on spiked river and distilled water samples at two concentrations, 25.0 and 2.00 x 10(2) ng mL(-1). The recoveries obtained by using microwave heating (60s, 800 W) were similar to those by conventional heating. When combined solid-phase extraction (SPE) with the application of the microwave-accelerated derivatization proposed here, the detection limits of 0.02-0.1 ng L(-1) for the steroid hormones have been achieved. The results demonstrated that microwave-accelerated derivatization is an efficient and suitable sample preparation method for the GC-MS analysis of estrogenic steroids.     

Trace level determination of phenols as pentafluorobenzyl derivatives by gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

A method for the trace level determination of 11 phenols as pentafluorobenzyl (PFB) derivatives by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with negative-ion chemical ionization (NICI) is described. First, the conditions for the PFB derivatisation of phenols were optimized and were found to be reaction temperature 80 degrees C and reaction time 5 h. Second, the detection limits using selected ion monitoring (SIM) were compared between trimethylsilylated (TMS) derivatives in the electron ionization (EI) mode and PFB derivatives in the NICI mode. The responses for the PFB derivatives in the NICI mode were 3.3-61 times higher than those of the TMS derivatives in the EI mode. The instrumental detection limits using NICI-SIM ranged from 2.6 to 290 fg. This method was applied to the analysis of phenols in river water using solid-phase extraction. The recoveries of the phenols from a river water sample spiked with standards at 100 ng l-1 with 2-chlorophenol, 4-chloro-3-methylphenol and pentachlorophenol and at 1000 ng l-1 with phenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2-nitrophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 4-nitrophenol were 81.2-106.3% (RSD 5.1-8.0%), except for 2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol, for which the recoveries were 5.8 and 4.2%, respectively, because water contained in the acetone eluate interfered with the derivatisation of these compounds with two electrophilic nitro groups.     

Simultaneous determination of acidic and non-acidic pesticides in natural waters by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

There is increasing interest and demand for real multi-residue methods able to simultaneously determine pesticides with a broad spectrum of chemical characteristics in environmental and biological matrices. A method based on solid-phase extraction with a Carbograph 4 cartridge and liquid chromatography with electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ES-MS) enabling simultaneous determination of non-acidic and acidic pesticides in real water samples is described. On repeatedly (n=5) extracting 4 l of drinking water (spike level 50 ng/l), 2 l of ground water (spike level 100 ng/l) and 1 l of river water (spike level 200 ng/l), recovery of 26 base/neutral pesticides and 13 acidic pesticides were equal to or better than 80%, except for carbendazim (67%), butocarboxim (73%), aldicarb (75%) and molinate (77%). Relative standard deviations ranged between 4 and 15%. Final extracts containing acidic and non-acidic pesticides were analyzed in a single chromatographic run while the ES-MS system was operated in both positive and negative ion modes. With the aim of finding the best operating conditions, in terms of sensitivity, the pH of the LC eluent was varied in the 2.9-8.4 range. Altogether, the best results were obtained by using an LC eluent containing 1 mmol/l formic acid. Over the entire pH range considered, well shaped peaks for both basic and acidic analytes were achieved by the use of a new generation LC column. By extracting selected ion current profiles from the total ion current mass chromatogram relative to analysis of 4 l of drinking water spiked with 50 ng/l of each of the 39 analytes, estimated limits of detection ranged between 0.05 and 1.5 ng/l, except for propyzamide (8 ng/l) and 2,4-DB (3 ng/l).     

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry determination of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in drinking and surface waters

A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method for analyzing organophophorus flame retardants and plasticizers in drinking and environmental waters was developed. Five alkyl phosphates, three chlorinated alkyl phosphates, two aryl phosphate and triphenylphosphine oxide were selected for this study. These compounds were extracted from water samples by a hydrophilic polymeric solid-phase extraction cartridge. Accuracy and precision were evaluated analyzing 0.5 L of water samples spiked at concentrations of 10 and 100 ng/L for drinking water and at 300 and 1000 ng/L for river water. Except for trimethyl phosphate, analyte recoveries were better than 80%, and were not dependent on the type of aqueous matrix in which they were dissolved. At the spike levels considered, within-day precision was between 3 and 12% for tap water and between 4 and 14% for river water, and estimated method quantification limits ranged from 0.2 to 3.9 ng/L. A short survey conducted by analyzing some river water samples (River Tiber) ascertained the presence of ten organophosphorus compounds at concentration levels ranging from a few nanograms per liter to 323 ng/L for tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate.     

Simultaneous solid-phase extraction of acidic, neutral and basic pharmaceuticals from aqueous samples at ambient (neutral) pH and their determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Seven polymeric solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents were evaluated with regard to their ability to extract acidic, neutral and basic pharmaceuticals and estrogens simultaneously from water at neutral pH. Highest recoveries (70-100%) for the majority of the analytes were obtained with styrene-methacrylate and styrene-N-vinylpyrrolidone co-polymers. The latter one (Oasis HLB) was chosen for further refinement of an extraction method for the quantitative determination of acidic and neutral drugs in surface water samples at detection limits below 1 ng/l. A sequential elution protocol was applied for clean-up and separation of the extracted analytes into fractions suitable for further compound specific processing. The neutral analytes as well as the acidic compounds after derivatisation were quantified by GC-MS. Caffeine, ibuprofen, its metabolites and diclofenac were detected in river water samples in the 1-100 ng/l range.     

Fully automated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of 17beta-estradiol in river water

Surface modified molecularly imprinted polymers (SM-MIPs) for 17beta-estradiol (E2), utilizing 6-ketoecradiol as a pseudo template were prepared. MIPs for E2 were synthesized using 4-vinyl pyridine and ethylene dimethacrylate as a functional monomer and cross-linking agent, respectively. MIPs selectively retained E2 and provided excellent chromatographic resolution from interfering compounds inherent in river water sample matrices. Therefore, freshly prepared MIPs were applied to quantitative mass spectrometric (negative electrospray ionization mode) detection of low levels of E2 in river water sample. In order to pre-concentrate the target compound for HPLC analysis, column switching was coupled with a pretreatment column packed with the MIPs. The repeatability of actual determinations of river water sample, in which background E2 was not detected, spiked with 50 ng/L of E2 was 2.2% RSD with a detection limit and qualification limit of 1.8 and 5.4 ng/L, respectively. Surface modification of MIP particlefs packed in the pretreatment column provided selective affinity and on-line concentration of low levels of E2 while simultaneously eliminating sample matrix interference, resulting in a significant increase in sensitivity and reproducibility for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of E2 in river water sample.