Quantification of insulin-like growth factor-1 in dried blood spots for detection of growth hormone abuse in sport

There is significant evidence that athletes are using recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) to enhance performance, and its use is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and professional sports leagues. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is the primary mediator of growth hormone action and is used as a biomarker for the detection of rhGH abuse. The current biomarker-based method requires collection and expedited shipment of venous blood which is costly and may decrease the number of tests performed. Measurement of GH biomarkers in dried blood spots (DBS) would considerably simplify sample collection and shipping methods to allow testing of a greater number of samples regardless of location. A method was developed to quantify intact IGF-1 protein in DBS by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A step-wise acid–acetonitrile extraction was optimized to achieve a sensitive assay with a lower limit of quantification of 50 ng/mL. IGF-1 remained stable at room temperature for up to 8 days, which would allow shipment of DBS cards at ambient temperature. In a comparison between plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and concentrations measured from venous and finger prick DBS, there was good correlation and agreement, r ² of 0.8551 and accuracy of 86–113 % for venous DBS and r ² of 0.9586 and accuracy of 89–122 % for finger prick DBS. The method is intended for use as a rapid screening method for IGF-1 to be used in the biomarker method of rhGH abuse detection.     

Ultrafast and high-throughput mass spectrometric assay for therapeutic drug monitoring of antiretroviral drugs in pediatric HIV-1 infection applying dried blood spots

Kaletra® (Abott Laboratories) is a co-formulated medication used in the treatment of HIV-1-infected children, and it contains the two antiretroviral protease inhibitor drugs lopinavir and ritonavir. We validated two new ultrafast and high-throughput mass spectrometric assays to be used for therapeutic drug monitoring of lopinavir and ritonavir concentrations in whole blood and in plasma from HIV-1-infected children. Whole blood was blotted onto dried blood spot (DBS) collecting cards, and plasma was collected simultaneously. DBS collecting cards were extracted by an acetonitrile/water mixture while plasma samples were deproteinized with acetone. Drug concentrations were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-QqQ-MS/MS). The application of DBS made it possible to measure lopinavir and ritonavir in whole blood in therapeutically relevant concentrations. The MALDI-QqQ-MS/MS plasma assay was successfully cross-validated with a commonly used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–ultraviolet (UV) assay for the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of HIV-1-infected patients, and it showed comparable performance characteristics. Observed DBS concentrations showed as well, a good correlation between plasma concentrations obtained by MALDI-QqQ-MS/MS and those obtained by the HPLC-UV assay. Application of DBS for TDM proved to be a good alternative to the normally used plasma screening. Moreover, collection of DBS requires small amounts of whole blood which can be easily performed especially in (very) young children where collection of large whole blood amounts is often not possible. DBS is perfectly suited for TDM of HIV-1-infected children; but nevertheless, DBS can also easily be applied for TDM of patients in areas with limited or no laboratory facilities.     

Rapid determination of rifaximin on dried blood spots by LC‐ESI‐MS

The use of blood spot collection cards is a simple way to obtain specimens for therapeutic drug monitoring, assessing adherence to medications and preventing toxicity in a clinical setting. A high‐throughput liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (LC‐ESI‐MS) method for determination of rifaximin on dried blood spots (DBS) was developed and validated. It involves solvent extraction of a punch of DBS followed by reversed‐phase LC on a monolithic column consisting of a silica rod with bimodal pore structure and detection by ESI‐MS. Rifampicin was used as an internal standard (IS). The run time was within 5.0 min with a very low back‐pressure at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The assay was linear from 0.1 to 10 ng/mL. The mean recovery was 98.42%. The developed method is very simple, rapid and useful for clinical applications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and validation of a dried blood spot–HPLC assay for the determination of metronidazole in neonatal whole blood samples

A selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method with UV detection for the determination of metronidazole in dried blood spots (DBS) has been developed and validated. DBS samples [spiked or patient samples] were prepared by applying blood (30 µL) to Guthrie cards. Discs (6 mm diameter) were punched from the cards and extracted using water containing the internal standard, tinidazole. The extracted sample was chromatographed without further treatment using a reversed phase system involving a Symmetry® C18 (5 µm, 3.9?×?150 mm) preceded by a Symmetry® guard column of matching chemistry and a detection wavelength of 317 nm. The mobile phase comprised acetonitrile/0.01?M phosphate solution (KH₂PO₄), pH 4.7, 15:85, v/v, with a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The calibration was linear over the range 2.5–50 mg/mL. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.6 and 1.8 µg/mL, respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of 203 DBS samples from neonatal patients for a phamacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study.     

Solid-phase extraction of PFOA and PFOS from surface waters on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes followed by UPLC–ESI-MS

This is the first report on the analytical application of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for determination in surface waters, at the nanograms per litre level, of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), the two predominant contaminants among the perfluorinated compounds detected. After the preconcentration step, the quantification was achieved by ultraperformance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. To increase the extraction efficiency towards these amphiphilic compounds, MWCNTs were derivatized with amino-terminated alkyl chains, thus producing a mixed-mode material (MWCNT-R-NH₂) combining hydrophobic affinity and anion-exchange properties. Experiments with distilled, tap and river water (pH 3) spiked at different concentrations (10, 15, 30, 100, 200 and 500 ng L^-1) provided absolute recoveries in the range 71–102 % (n?=?3, relative standard deviations less than 10 %). Analytes were eluted in a single fraction with 6 mL methanol (3?×?10^-4 M NaOH). The within-laboratory reproducibility of the MWCNT-R-NH₂ SPE sorbent was evaluated with raw river water, and relative standard deviations less than 15 % were obtained (n?=?4). Preconcentration factors up to 125 (500-mL sample) made it possible to quantify PFOA and PFOS at low nanograms per litre levels in naturally contaminated river water. The method quantification limits of 10 ng L^-1 for PFOA and 15 ng L^-1 for PFOS were well below the advisory levels for drinking and surface waters. Comparison with non-derivatized MWCNTs highlighted the role of functionalization in improving the adsorption affinity towards these contaminants. MWCNT-R-NH₂ maintained their extraction capability for at least eight repeated adsorption/desorption cycles.     

液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定婴幼儿配方乳粉中全氟辛酸、全氟辛烷磺酸、双酚A和壬基酚残留

建立了婴幼儿配方乳粉中全氟辛酸、全氟辛烷磺酸、双酚A和壬基酚多残留的高效液相色谱-串联四极杆质谱联用测定方法。样品用水超声溶解,乙腈沉淀蛋白质,液相色谱-串联质谱测定,基质内标法定量。以Hypersil GOLD C₁₈色谱柱（50 mm×4.6 mm,1.9 μm）分离,流动相为30 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液和甲醇,流速0.30 mL/min。在该优化条件下,全氟辛酸、全氟辛烷磺酸、双酚A和壬基酚的定量限分别为0.5、1.0、10.0和5.0 μg/kg,方法回收率为86.1%~106.8%,相对标准偏差为2.87%~9.53%。测定了多种市售婴幼儿配方奶粉,表明该方法操作简单、测定结果准确,可用于婴幼儿配方奶粉中全氟辛酸、全氟辛烷磺酸、双酚A和壬基酚多残留的同时快速测定。     

A Simple Dried Blood Spot Assay for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Lamotrigine

Blood spot collection cards can be easily used to obtain specimens for analysis of drugs for the purpose of therapeutic drug monitoring. In this work, the development and validation of a simple technique for the determination of lamotrigine from dried blood spots is described. The method is based on liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The intra- and inter-day precision (measured by CV%) was less than 11%. The accuracy (measured by relative error %) was less than 12%. The limits of detection and quantification were calculated to be 0.12 and 0.2 μg mL⁻¹ respectively. The small volume of blood required (10 μL), the short analysis time (less than 4 min), combined with the simplicity of the analytical technique makes this a useful procedure for monitoring lamotrigine concentrations. Our preliminary experience with the developed method indicated that it can be implemented in routine clinical setting.

     

A Simple Dried Blood Spot Assay for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Lamotrigine

Blood spot collection cards can be easily used to obtain specimens for analysis of drugs for the purpose of therapeutic drug monitoring. In this work, the development and validation of a simple technique for the determination of lamotrigine from dried blood spots is described. The method is based on liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The intra- and inter-day precision (measured by CV%) was less than 11%. The accuracy (measured by relative error %) was less than 12%. The limits of detection and quantification were calculated to be 0.12 and 0.2 μg mL^?1 respectively. The small volume of blood required (10 μL), the short analysis time (less than 4 min), combined with the simplicity of the analytical technique makes this a useful procedure for monitoring lamotrigine concentrations. Our preliminary experience with the developed method indicated that it can be implemented in routine clinical setting.     

Development and validation of an LC‐MS/MS method for simultaneous quantitative analysis of free and conjugated bisphenol A in human urine

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine‐disrupting chemicals that is widely used in common consumer products. There is an increasing concern regarding human exposure to BPA owing to the potential adverse effects associated with its estrogenic activity. For assessing environmental exposure to BPA, it is essential to have a sensitive, accurate and selective analytical method, especially one that can detect low BPA levels in complex sample matrices. In this study, we developed and validated an accurate, sensitive, and robust liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of free BPA and BPA β‐d ‐glucuronide (BPA‐gluc) concentrations in human urine with only a single injection. Calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 1–100 ng/mL for BPA and 10–1000 ng/mL for BPA‐gluc. The levels of the analytes were determined quantitatively with HPLC/ESI‐MS/MS by using negative electrospray ionization in the select ion monitoring mode and a pentaflouraphenyl propyl column. The validated method was applied to the analysis of spot urine specimens collected from randomly selected healthy human subjects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of Ciprofloxacin in Dried Blood Spots for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

The use of blood spot collection cards is a simple way to obtain specimens for analysis of drugs for the purpose of therapeutic drug monitoring, assessing adherence to medications and preventing toxicity in certain groups of patients. We describe the development and validation of a microanalytical technique for the determination of ciprofloxacin from dried blood spots. The method is based on reversed phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Drug recovery in the developed method was found to be higher than 95%. The limits of detection and quantification were calculated to be to be 60 and 100 ng mL^?1, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precision (measured by CV%) was always less than 6% (13.07% at LOQ). The accuracy (measured by relative error, %) was always less than 8% (7.82% at LOQ). Stability analysis showed that ciprofloxacin is stable for at least 1 month when stored at ?70 °C. The small volume of blood required (30 μL), combined with the simplicity of the analytical technique makes this method a potential procedure for monitoring ciprofloxacin concentrations in certain patient populations.     

Determination of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid in sewage sludge samples using liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A new method is developed for the determination of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in sewage sludge samples. The analytes in sewage sludge samples are extracted by methanol and formic acid, cleaned by C18 solid-phase extraction, then separated, identified and quantitated by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF-MS). A C18 column (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm) with gradient elution of MeOH–H₂O (60:40) containing 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate and MeOH–H₂O (80:20) is used for the chromatographic separation. [M−K]⁻ ions at m/z 498.93 for PFOS and [M−COOH]⁻ ion at m/z 368.97 for PFOA are selected for QTOF-MS in the negative electrospray ionization mode. The detection limits for PFOS and PFOA in sewage sludge samples are 0.5 and 0.8 ng/g, respectively. The spiked recoveries are in the range of 85–114 and 71–98% for PFOS and PFOA, respectively. The proposed method is successfully applied to the analysis of PFOS and PFOA in 16 sewage sludge samples from China. PFOS and PFOA are detected in most sewage sludge samples and the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA are up to 5383 and 4780 ng/g (oven dry weight), respectively.     

Exploring dried blood spot sampling technique for simultaneous quantification of antiretrovirals: lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine in a rodent pharmacokinetic study

A high‐performance liquid chromatography/positive ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine was developed and validated in dried blood spot (DBS) cards. The analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reverse phase column and analyzed by MS/MS in the MRM mode using the respective [M + H]⁺ ions, m/z 230–112 for lamivudine, m/z 225–127 for stavudine, m/z 267–226 for nevirapine, m/z 383–337 for zidovudine (IS). The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL for both lamivudine and stavudine and 10 ng/mL for nevirapine. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range. The method was successfully applied to quantify them in a rat pharmacokinetic study in whole blood, plasma and DBS cards after a single oral co‐administration at the dose of 10, 2 and 13 mg/kg for lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine, respectively, to male Wistar rats. Following oral administration the pharmacokinetic results in all the matrices are in close agreement. Thus accomplishment of this method would facilitate the ease of collection of clinical samples on DBS cards for lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine during human clinical trials and therapeutic drug monitoring. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of Ciprofloxacin in Dried Blood Spots for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

The use of blood spot collection cards is a simple way to obtain specimens for analysis of drugs for the purpose of therapeutic drug monitoring, assessing adherence to medications and preventing toxicity in certain groups of patients. We describe the development and validation of a microanalytical technique for the determination of ciprofloxacin from dried blood spots. The method is based on reversed phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Drug recovery in the developed method was found to be higher than 95%. The limits of detection and quantification were calculated to be to be 60 and 100 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precision (measured by CV%) was always less than 6% (13.07% at LOQ). The accuracy (measured by relative error, %) was always less than 8% (7.82% at LOQ). Stability analysis showed that ciprofloxacin is stable for at least 1 month when stored at −70 °C. The small volume of blood required (30 μL), combined with the simplicity of the analytical technique makes this method a potential procedure for monitoring ciprofloxacin concentrations in certain patient populations.

     

Novel methodology to perform incurred sample reanalysis on dried blood spot cards: Experimental data using darolutamide and filgotinib

Different options on performing incurred sample reanalysis (ISR) on dried blood spot (DBS) cards were investigated using drugs belonging to various therapeutic areas: (a) darolutamide (to treat prostate cancer) and (b) filgotinib (to treat rheumatoid arthritis). The proposed novel methodology included the generation of half-DBS and quarter-DBS discs after initial blood collection using the full-DBS discs. Accordingly, blood collection via DBS was performed in male BALB/c mice following intravenous and oral dosing of darolutamide; in male Sprague Dawley rats following intravenous and oral dosing of filgotinib. The ISR data generated from the full-DBS disc, half-DBS disc and quarter-DBS disc were compared for the assessment of the proposed methodology. Quantification of darolutamide and filgotinib was accomplished using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry methods. Darolutamide and filgotinib ISR samples, which were collected and prepared using full-, half- and quarter-DBS discs, met the acceptance criteria for ISR analysis. In conclusion, this is the first report showing a viable tool for the performance of ISR on DBS cards. The use of quarter- or half-DBS discs would aid in not only ISR but also in long-term storage experiments of analytes because it would avoid the need for additional blood sampling in patients.     

Determination of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate by automated in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

We have developed a simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) by on-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). PFOA and PFOS were separated within 10 min by high-performance liquid chromatography using an Inertsil ODS-3 column and 10 mM ammonium acetate/methanol (35/65, v/v) as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL min⁻¹. Electrospray ionization conditions in the negative ion mode were optimized for MS detection of PFOA and PFOS. The optimum in-tube SPME conditions were 20 draw/eject cycles with a sample size of 40 μL using a CP-Pora PLOT amine capillary column as the extraction device. The extracted compounds could be desorbed easily from the capillary by passage of the mobile phase, and no carryover was observed. Using the in-tube SPME LC-MS method, good linearity of the calibration curve (r = 0.9990 for PFOA, r = 0.9982 for PFOS) was obtained in the range of 0.05-5 ng mL⁻¹ each compound. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for PFOA and PFOS were 1.5 and 3.2 pg mL⁻¹, respectively. The method described here showed about 100-fold higher sensitivity than the direct injection method. The within-day and between-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were below 3.7 and 6.0%, respectively. This method was applied successfully to the analysis of PFOA and PFOS in environmental water samples and to the elution test from a Teflon^®-coated frying pan without interference peaks. The recoveries of PFOA and PFOS spiked into river samples were above 81%, and PFOA was detected at pg mL⁻¹ levels in environmental water samples and eluate from the frying pan.     

Determination of bisphenol-A levels in human amniotic fluid samples by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals used widely in common consumer products. There is an increasing concern about human exposure to BPA, particularly in fetuses, due to the potential adverse effects related to the estrogenic activity of BPA. In assessing environmental exposure to BPA, it is essential to have a sensitive, accurate, and specific analytical method, particularly for low BPA levels in complex sample matrices. In this study, we developed and validated an accurate, sensitive, and robust liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for determining the BPA concentrations in human amniotic fluid (AF). In this method, BPA and the internal standards (13)C(12) -BPA were extracted from 500 μL of human AF using solid-phase extraction. Calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 0.3-100 ng/mL for BPA. The analytes were quantitatively determined using LC-MS operated in a negative electrospray ionization selected ion monitoring mode. This validated method has been used successfully in the clinical sample analysis of BPA in second-trimester AF specimens.     

Determination of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonate in human tissues by liquid chromatography/single quadrupole mass spectrometry

A method is described that permits the measurement of the levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in human liver, kidney, adipose tissue, brain, basal ganglia, hypophysis, thyroid, gonads, pancreas, lung, skeletal muscle and blood, even in subjects not occupationally exposed to these compounds. The purification of samples involved the use of trifunctional (tC18) and strong anion-exchange (SAX) solid-phase extraction cartridges, and the analysis utilized a high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC/MS). The analyses were conducted on a mixed-bed reversed-phase column by gradient runs using 3 mM ammonium acetate/methanol mixtures at different proportions as the mobile phase. The detector was used in electrospray negative ion mode by recording simultaneously the ions m/z 413.0 (PFOA) and 499.0 (PFOS). Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), added to the samples before the purification, was used as the internal standard (ion monitored = m/z 463.6). The recovery rates of the extraction procedure ranged from 79.6 to 95.6% (CV% 1.7-7.4%) for PFOA, from 79.7 to 100.8% (CV% = 1.2-7.1) for PFOS, and from 89.1 to 102.3% (CV% = 0.9-5.2 %) for PFNA. The calibration curves were linear up to at least 400 ng of analytes per gram of tissue. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) were 0.1 ng/g for both PFOA and PFOS measured in all tissues except adipose tissue, where the limits were about 0.2 ng/g. The content of analytes in tissues varied from 0.3 to 3.8 ng/g (respectively: basal ganglia and lung) for PFOA, and from 1.0 to 13.6 ng/g (respectively: skeletal muscle and liver) for the linear isomer of PFOS. The method is suitable to evaluate the content of PFOA and PFOS in different tissues taken from the general population exposed to very low concentrations of these pollutants.     

Determination of Perfluorochemicals in Human Milk Using Isotope‐dilution Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A highly precise and accurate analytical method utilizing an isotope‐dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated to determine two perfluorochemicals (PFCs): perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in human milk samples. Identification of the analytes was confirmed under negative electrospray with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by the monitoring of one precursor ion and two product ions, and matching of relative ion intensities of the ions concerned in samples and calibration standards. Quantitation was based on the measurement of concentration ratios of the natural and labeled‐analogues in the samples and calibration mixtures. The isotope‐labeled internal standards were also used to correct the matrix effect and variations associated with the analysis. Intra‐ and inter‐day repeatabilities of replicate analyses of the PFOA and PFOS in milk samples were below 8%. The limit of quantitation was 2 pg/mL in a 5 mL milk sample. The PFOA and PFOS were detected in all 20 human milk samples at concentrations from 27.0 to 207 pg/mL. This is the first study to measure the occurrence of PFOA and PFOS in human milk from Taiwan.     

HPLC-MS/MS与ICP-MS分别测定血液中14种全氟化合物及常见金属元素

为了解广东儿童血液中全氟化合物(PFCs)和常见金属元素的含量水平,为儿童健康评估提供数据,该文采用蛋白沉淀法提取样品,高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)检测样品中14种PFCs。同时,以石墨全自动消解仪消解血液样品,电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)检测血液中钙(Ca)、镁(Mg)、铁(Fe)、锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)和锰(Mn)元素。结果显示,儿童血液中14种PFCs被普遍检出,其中全氟辛基磺酸(PFOS)和全氟辛基羧酸(PFOA)的检出率及浓度最高,但在一些个体中发现较高浓度的其它碳链PFCs。PFCs浓度有随着年龄增长而下降的趋势,但除了全氟丁基磺酸外,无性别差异。另一方面,儿童血液中检出的Ca、Mg、Fe、Zn、Cu和Mn含量在正常范围内,未发现有性别差异。研究显示PFCs普遍存在儿童血液中,儿童PFCs暴露水平的研究应引起重视。在今后的监测中,不仅要关注PFOS和PFOA,也要关注其它碳链PFCs。     

Analysis of polar organic contaminants in surface water of the northern Adriatic Sea by solid-phase extraction followed by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography–QTRAP® MS using a hybrid triple-quadrupole linear ion trap instrument

Water-soluble polar organic contaminants are discharged by rivers, cities, and ships into the oceans. Little is known on the fate, pollution effects, and thresholds of toxic chemical mixtures in the marine environment. A new trace analytical method was developed for the multi-compound analysis of polar organic chemical contaminants in marine waters. The method is based on automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) of one-liter water samples followed by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QTRAP^® MS). Marine water samples from the open Adriatic Sea taken 16 km offshore from Venice (Italy) were analyzed. Method limits of quantification (LOQs) in the low picogram per liter (pg/l) concentration range were achieved. Among the 67 target chemicals analyzed, 45 substances could be detected above the LOQ. The chemicals detected at the highest concentrations were caffeine (up to 367 ng/l), nitrophenol (36 ng/l), 2,4-dinitrophenol (34 ng/l), 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (18.5 ng/l), sucralose (11 ng/l), 1H-benzotriazole (9.2 ng/l), terbuthylazine (9 ng/l), alachlor (7.7 ng/l), atrazine-desisopropyl (6.6 ng/l), diethyltoluamide (DEET) (5.0 ng/l), terbuthylazine-desethyl (4.3 ng/l), metolachlor (2.8 ng/l), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (2.5 ng/l), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) (2.3 ng/l), linuron (2.3 ng/l), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (2.2 ng/l), diuron (2.0 ng/l), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (1.6 ng/l), simazine (1.6 ng/l), atrazine (1.5 ng/l), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (1.3 ng/l). Higher concentrations were detected during summer due to increased levels of tourist activity during this period.